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Labour retained its majority on Caerphilly County Borough Council, but the leader lost her seat to the Independents – here’s the round-up of the 2022 election results.

Labour secured 45 out of the 69 seats available, Plaid Cymru maintained their 18 seats, and the Independents comfortably achieved six seats.

Plaid Cymru candidate Lindsay Whittle received the highest amount of votes with 1,975 – he was re-elected to represent Penyrheol alongside three other Plaid Cymru candidates.

Cllr Colin Mann, leader of the Plaid Cymru group on the council, said: “It was a solid performance by the party but is disappointing that we did not make progress at this election.

“I’m very pleased in many wards people have once again shown faith in their Plaid Cymru candidates and we gained two seats in St Cattwg ward. It is the first time we have held a county level in the St Cattwg ward and represents good progress in the north of the borough.

“Although we did not win a seat in Aberbargoed and Bargoed there was an excellent performance from our candidates and it is something we can build on.”

Colin Mann also expressed his commiserations at Mike Davies, a Plaid Cymru candidate in Crumlin, losing his seat and thanked him for all his work.

The majority of the Independent candidates all received more than 1,000 votes each – except for Bob Owen, who received 983, and was re-elected for Risca West.

Two of the Independent candidates succeeded in the Ynysddu ward, where leader of the council Philippa Marsden lost her seat.

Successful candidate Janine Reed said: “People in the valley feel that they were betrayed and were not being listened to, this shows in the turnout and the votes.

“This has been six long years of hard work.”

Ynysddu received the highest turnout in the county borough with a 45.78% turnout – up 11% from 2017.

Blackwood remained an Independent-led ward, with Andrew Farina-Childs, Kevin Etheridge, and Nigel Dix retaining their seats.

Nigel Dix said their success came from “working hard and putting the people first”.

He added: “As independents we can’t hide behind the party, they vote for us as individuals, and it’s a personal vote of support.”

Despite the Leader losing her seat, it was a strong performance from Labour who retained its majority.

Deputy Leader of the council, Jamie Pritchard, was re-elected to represent the Morgan Jones ward alongside Labour candidates Shayne Cook and Anne Broughton-Pettit.

Philippa Leonard, a successful Labour candidate in Risca East, said she was “over the moon” to be elected.

She added: “I’m relieved and absolutely ecstatic to carry on the work in the community.”

Cllr Leonard has been re-elected alongside fellow Labour candidates Arianna Leonard and Nigel George, who is the council’s Cabinet Member for Waste, Public Protection and Street Scene.

Labour’s Shane Williams, who was elected to represent Cefn Fforest and Pengam alongside fello Labour candidates Teresa Heron and Marina Chacon-Dawson, said: “It’s not about me personally, it’s about making sure that we act in the interest of the people we have been elected to serve – we have to take notice of their concerns.”

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Annual General Meeting is being held on Thursday, May 19 – all the new and familiar councillors who were successful are expected to attend.

The decision on who will be the next leader of the council is yet to be announced.

Here is a full list of the results:

Aber Valley

Three seats.

John Eryl Roberts (PC): 903
John Taylor (PC): 901
Charlotte Jane Bishop (PC): 773
Joy Morgan (Lab): 440

Aberbargoed and Bargoed

Turnout: 27.06%

Three seats.

Tudor Davies (Lab): 904
Dianne Price (Lab): 810
Dawn Ingram-Jones (Lab): 803
Chris Bissex-Foster (PC): 743
Paul Edwards (PC): 729
Ken Houston (PC): 676
Rob Puddefoot (Ind): 259
Belinda Gingell (Ind): 219

Abercarn
Turnout: 29.9%
Two seats.
Andy Whitcombe (Lab): 743
Denver Preece (Lab): 653
Jill Jones (PC): 484
Illtud Jones (PC): 408

Argoed

Turnout: 28.75%

One seat.

Walter Williams (Lab): 356
Iestyn James (Ind): 121
Shane Parsons (PC): 104

Bedwas and Trethomas

Three seats.

Lisa Phipps (Lab): 1,197
Liz Aldworth (Lab): 1,023
Jill Winslade (Lab): 913
Daniel David Tudor Llewellyn (PC): 469
John Anthony Leek (PC): 343
Kieran Lloyd (Con): 273
Peter Thomas (TUSC): 111

Blackwood

Turnout: 37.66%

Three seats.

Kevin Etheridge (Ind): 1,877
Andrew Farina-Childs (Ind): 1,695
Nigel Dix (Ind): 1,634
Dean Jones (Lab): 738
Hero Marsden (Lab): 482

Cefn Fforest and Pengam

Turnout: 30.22%

Three seats.

Shane Williams (Lab): 929
Teresa Heron (Lab): 886
Marina Chacon-Dawson (Lab): 856
Louise Philips (Ind): 582
Gerwyn James (Ind): 554
George Edwards (Ind): 553
Johnny Parker (Con): 238

Crosskeys

Turnout: 32.2%

One seat.

Julian Simmonds (Lab): 415
Chris Cook (PC): 334
Tony Potts (Lib Dem): 57

Crumlin

Turnout: 33.08%

Two seats.

Carl Thomas (Lab): 846
Kristian Woodland (Lab): 652
Mike Davies (PC): 562
Claire Morgan (PC): 470
Mary Lloyd (Lib Dem): 104
Steve Lloyd (Lib Dem): 83

Darran Valley

One seat.

Robert Edward Chapman – Labour: 512
Gavin Hughes – Independent: 60

Gilfach

One seat.

Carol Julia Andrews (Lab): 343
Elaine Meredith (PC): 129

Hengoed

Two seats.

Donna Cushing (PC): 608
Teresa Parry (PC): 576
Tracey Rowlands (Lab): 502
Rhiannon Stone (Lab): 494

Llanbradach

Two seats.

Colin Mann – Plaid Cymru 775
Gary Enright – Plaid Cymru: 643
Adam Birkinshaw-Bird – Labour: 394
Rhydian Dafydd Birkenshaw-Bird – Labour: 365

Machen and Rudry

Two seats.

Amanda McConnell (Lab): 714
Chris Morgan (Lab): 670
Steve Aicheler (Lib Dem): 417
Ellis Smith (Con): 283
Gareth Bryant (Lib Dem): 243

Maesycwmmer

One seat.

Jo Rao (Lab): 337
Garin Davies (PC): 226

Morgan Jones

Three seats.

Jamie Pritchard (Lab): 1,092
Shayne Cook (Lab): 1,002
Anne Broughton-Pettit (Lab): 916
Mike Prew (PC): 816
Martin Downes (PC): 636
Mark Robotham (PC): 625
John Child (Con): 242
Judith Child (Con): 229
Alexis Celnik (Green): 214

Moriah and Pontlottyn

Two seats.

Mansel Powell (Lab): 907
David Harse (Lab): 781
Rhodri Morgan (PC): 305
Alyn Davies (PC): 258

Nelson

Two seats.

Sean Morgan (Lab): 627
Brenda Miles (Lab): 518
Rod Powell (Ind): 383
Brett Jenkins (Ind): 365
Eifion Dafydd (PC): 296
Aled John (PC): 286
Naomi Miles (Con): 82

New Tredegar

Two seats.

Eluned Stenner (Lab): 675
Mark Anthony Evans (Lab): 617
Tracey Gifford (Ind): 299
Faebian Vann (Ind): 154

Newbridge

Turnout: 31.16%

Three seats.

Adrian Hussey (Lab): 745
Gary Johnston (Lab): 733
Leeroy Jeremiah (Lab): 729
Lyn Ackerman (PC): 687
Rhys Mills (PC): 468
Wayne Morrissey (PC): 415
Christine Edwards (Con): 193
Kyle Butcher (Con): 182

Penmaen

Turnout: 31.48%

Two seats.

Roy Saralis (Lab): 831
Jim Salder (Lab): 775
Andrew Short (PC): 458
Kevin Jones (PC): 454

Penyrheol

Four seats.

Lindsay Whittle (PC): 1,975
John Scriven (PC): 1,660
Steve Skivens (PC): 1,626
Greg Ead (PC): 1,458
Phil Rosser (Lab): 1159
Brandon Gorman (Con): 532

Pontllanfraith

Turnout: 30.84%

Three seats.

Mike Adams (Lab): 1,045
Pat Cook (Lab): 926
Colin Gordon (Lab): 815
Laura Richards (Ind): 782
Roy Williams (Ind): 565
James Wells (Ind): 515
Cathrine Clark (Con): 373
Jacob Pearce (SDP): 210

Risca East

Turnout: 25.89%

Three seats.

Nigel George (Lab): 698
Arianna Leonard (Lab): 631
Philippa Leonard (Lab): 626
Brandon Ham (PC): 404
Alan Thomas (PC): 401
Matthew Farrell (PC): 301

Risca West

Turnout: 34.28%

Two seats.

Bob Owen (Ind): 983
Ceri Wright (Lab): 629
Rob Derraven (Ind): 585

St. Cattwg

Three seats.

Haydn Pritchard (PC): 902
Ann Gair (Lab): 848
Judith Pritchard (PC): 843
Carmen Bezzina (Lab): 822
John Tully Toner (Lab): 784
Catrin Moss (PC): 752

St. Martins

Three seats.

Colin Elsbury (PC): 1,581
James Fussell (PC): 1,522
Steve Kent (PC): 1,421
Cath Lewis (Lab): 1,165
Robert Stanley Lea (Con): 568

Twyn Carno

Turnout: 35.75%

One seat.

Carl Cuss (Lab): 652
Peter Bailie (Ind): 159

Van

Two seats.

Christine Forehead (Lab): 536
Elaine Forehead (Lab): 490
Lynne Hughes (PC): 443
Jeff Grenfell (PC): 408

Ynysddu

Turnout: 45.78%

Two seats.

Jan Jones (Ind): 1,162
Janine Reed (Ind): 1,150
Philippa Marsden (Lab): 213
Phoebe Marsden (Lab): 182

Ystrad Mynach

Two seats.

Martyn James (PC): 972
Alan Angel (PC): 914
Matthew Cook: (Lab): 640