2022 Welsh local elections
{{Short description|2022 local council elections in Wales}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox election
|election_name = 2022 Welsh local elections
|type = parliamentary
|ongoing = no
|previous_election = 2017 Welsh local elections
|previous_year = 2017
|next_election = 2027 Welsh local elections
|next_year = 2027
|seats_for_election = All 1,231 seats to 22 Welsh councils
|election_date = {{Start date|df=yes|2022|05|05}}
|image1 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = First Minister Mark Drakeford official portrait 2020 (cropped).jpg
|bSize = 120
|cWidth = 120
|cHeight = 160
|oLeft = 0
|oTop = 0
|Location = center
|Alt = Blank
}}
|leader1 = Mark Drakeford
|party1 = Welsh Labour
|last_election1 = 468 seats, 30.4%
|popular_vote1 = 323,075
|percentage1 = 34%
|swing1 = {{increase}}3.6%
|seats1 = 526
|seat_change1 = {{increase}}66
|image2 =
|leader2 = None
|party2 = Independent politician
|last_election2 = 309 seats, 22.5%
|popular_vote2 = 206,703
|percentage2 = 21.76%
|swing2 = {{decrease}} 0.74%
|seats2 = 307
|seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 2
|image3 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = Adam-price (cropped).jpg
|bSize = 120
|cWidth = 120
|cHeight = 160
|oLeft = 0
|oTop = 0
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|Alt = Blank
}}
|leader3 = Adam Price
|party3 = Plaid Cymru
|last_election3 = 208 seats, 16.5%
|popular_vote3 = 160,284
|percentage3 = 16.9%
|swing3 = {{increase}}0.4%
|seats3 = 202
|seat_change3 = {{decrease}} 6
| image4 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = Andrew RT Davies 2016 (cropped).jpg
|bSize = 120
|cWidth = 120
|cHeight = 160
|oLeft = 0
|oTop = 0
|Location = center
|Alt = Blank
}}
|leader4 = Andrew RT Davies
|party4 = Welsh Conservatives
|last_election4 = 184 seats, 18.8%
|popular_vote4 = 145,115
|percentage4 = 15.3%
|swing4 = {{decrease}} 3.52%
|seats4 = 111
|seat_change4 = {{decrease}}86
|image5 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = Jane-dodds (cropped).jpg
|bSize = 120
|cWidth = 120
|cHeight = 160
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|oTop = 0
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|Alt = Blank
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|leader5 = Jane Dodds
|party5 = Welsh Liberal Democrats
|last_election5 = 63 seats, 6.8%
|popular_vote5 = 66,180
|percentage5 = 6.97%
|swing5 = {{increase}}0.17%
|seats5 = 69
|seat_change5 = {{increase}}10
|image6 =
|leader6 = Anthony Slaughter
|party6 = Wales Green Party
|last_election6 = 1 seat, 1.3%
|popular_vote6 = 21,585
|percentage6 = 2.27%
|swing6 = {{increase}}0.97%
|seats6 = 8
|seat_change6 = {{increase}} 7
|map_image = 2022 Welsh Local Elections - Ward and Council Control.svg
|map_size = 400x400px
|map_caption = Colours denote the winning party with outright control (left), and the largest party by ward (right)
Key:
{{col-start}}
{{col-3}}
{{legend|#e4003b|Labour}}
{{legend|#d0d0d0|Independent}}
{{col-3}}
{{legend|#005b54|Plaid Cymru}}
{{legend|#0087dc|Conservative}}
{{col-3}}
{{legend|#000000|No overall control}}
{{col-end}}
|country = Wales
}}
The 2022 Welsh local elections took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of all twenty-two local authorities in Wales. They were held alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. The previous elections were held in 2017.
The Welsh Conservatives lost over a third of their seats and their majority on Monmouthshire County Council.{{Cite web |title=Local Elections 2022 in Wales |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/election/2022/wales/results |access-date=2022-05-06 |website=BBC News }} Plaid Cymru won outright control of four councils, which was the highest number in the party's history, however their overall number of councillors elected decreased.
Background
In the local elections in 2017, 1,271 seats were elected. Welsh Labour won 468 seats, independent candidates won 309 seats, Plaid Cymru won 208 seats, the Welsh Conservatives won 184 seats, and the Welsh Liberal Democrats won 63 seats. Other parties including the Wales Green Party won 22 seats.{{Cite web|last=Blake|first=Aled|date=2017-05-05|title=The full results from the local elections in Wales|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/wales-local-elections-2017-final-12994300|access-date=2021-09-13|website=WalesOnline|language=en}} The 2022 Welsh local elections were initially scheduled for 2021, to give councillors a four-year term, but they were delayed to 2022 to avoid clashing with the 2021 Senedd election.{{Cite web|last=Mosalski|first=Ruth|date=2019-09-24|title=The date of the next council elections in Wales has moved|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/council-elections-wales-welsh-government-16967579|access-date=2021-09-13|website=WalesOnline|language=en}} The 2021 Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act permanently changed the term length for councillors from four years to five years.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-18|title=Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021|url=https://business.senedd.wales/mgIssueHistoryHome.aspx?IId=26688|access-date=2021-09-13|website=business.senedd.wales|language=en-gb}}
Ahead of the 2022 elections, eleven of the twenty-two councils in Wales were under no overall control with no single party holding more than half of the seats. Labour controlled seven councils, Independents controlled two councils, and the Conservatives and Plaid Cymru each controlled one council.
Process
To have been able to vote in the 2022 local elections in Wales a person must be aged 16 or over on the day of the election (also called "polling day"), have been registered to vote by the morning of the 14 April 2022, registered at an address in Wales, and not be legally excluded from voting.{{cite web |url= https://www.gov.uk/elections-in-the-uk/local-government |title= Types of election, referendums, and who can vote |website= GOV.UK |access-date= 10 January 2022}}{{cite web |url= https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/running-electoral-registration-wales |title= Running electoral registration - Wales |website= Electoral Commission |access-date= 10 January 2022}}{{cite web |url= https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/campaigns/votes-at-16/ |title= Votes at 16 |website= Electoral Reform Society |access-date= 10 January 2022}}{{cite web |url= https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn01747/ |title= Voting age |last1= Uberoi |first1= Elise |last2= Johnston |first2= Neil |date= 19 November 2020 |website= Commons Library |access-date= 10 January 2022}}{{cite news |date= 25 March 2022 |title= Wales council elections 2022: A simple guide |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-60736735 |work= BBC News |access-date= 14 April 2022}} The deadline for applications to vote by post was 19 April 2022, of which a request must have been put in writing. Persons wishing to vote must also be one of the following:
- a British citizen
- an Irish or EU citizen
- a qualifying Commonwealth citizen
- a citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK, or who does not need permission
For this election, councils in Wales use first-past-the-post voting (FPTP) in single-member wards and block voting in multi-member wards. For the next election in 2027, councils will choose whether to conduct elections under FPTP or the single transferable vote, due to changes in legislation in Wales.{{Cite web|last=Cromar|first=Chris|date=2021-09-10|title=Should England introduce PR for local elections like Scotland?|url=https://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/articles/should-england-introduce-pr-local-elections-scotland|access-date=2021-09-13|website=Public Sector Executive|language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asc/2021/1/section/9 |access-date=5 March 2022 |website=legislation.gov.uk}}
Principal councils
File:Wales Administrative Map 2009.png
Elections were held for all councillors in all 22 local authorities, all of which were conducted under new boundaries. These boundary changes mean a number of seats have been redrawn and the total number of councillors in Wales will fall from 1,254 to 1,233, a decrease of 21.
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan=2 | Council
! colspan=3 | Seats |
|---|
| New
! Prior ! Difference |
| Anglesey
| 35 | 30 | +5 |
| Blaenau Gwent
| 33 | 42 | –9 |
| Bridgend
| 51 | 54 | –3 |
| Caerphilly
| 69 | 73 | –4 |
| Cardiff
| 79 | 75 | +4 |
| Carmarthenshire
| 75 | 74 | +1 |
| Ceredigion
| 38 | 42 | –4 |
| Conwy
| 55 | 59 | –4 |
| Denbighshire
| 48 | 47 | +1 |
| Flintshire
| 66 | 70 | –4 |
| Gwynedd
| 69 | 75 | –6 |
| Merthyr Tydfil
| 30 | 33 | –3 |
| Monmouthshire
| 46 | 43 | +2 |
| Neath Port Talbot
| 60 | 64 | –4 |
| Newport
| 51 | 50 | +1 |
| Pembrokeshire
| 60 | 60 | 0 |
| Powys
| 68 | 73 | –5 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf
| 75 | 75 | 0 |
| Swansea
| 75 | 72 | +3 |
| Torfaen
| 40 | 44 | –4 |
| Vale of Glamorgan
| 54 | 47 | +7 |
| Wrexham
| 56 | 52 | +4 |
| class="sortbottom"
! Totals ! 1,233 ! 1,254 ! –21 |
Candidates
2,436 candidates sought election to 1,231 seats.{{cite web |title=Local Elections SOPN Summary |url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qY6r_FU4k8LoPStSGEBqIyO2SCwChtX9b0Q6sD5n6h0/edit#gid=138426791 |access-date=2022-04-11}}{{cite web |url= https://www.carmarthenshire.gov.wales/media/1228125/pen-y-groes.pdf |title= CARMARTHENSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL ELECTION OF County Councillors |date= 6 April 2022 |website= carmarthenshire.gov.wales |access-date= 13 April 2022 }}
| role="presentation" class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="text-align:centre;"
| colspan=4 | Candidates |
| colspan=2 | Party
! # ! Difference |
|---|
| {{Party name with colour|Welsh Labour}}
| 863 | –47 |
| {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}
| 683 | –187 |
| {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}}
| 669 | –48 |
| {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}}
| 526{{ref|a}} | –23 |
| {{Party name with colour|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}
| 284 | +4 |
| {{Party name with colour|Green Party of England and Wales}}
| 115 | +37 |
| {{Party name with colour|Propel (political party)}}
| 47 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition}}
| 24 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Freedom Alliance (UK)}}
| 10 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Reform UK}}
| 4 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Breakthrough Party}}
| 1 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990–present)}}
| 1 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Heritage Party (UK)}}
| 1 | |
| {{Party name with colour|Women's Equality Party}}
| 1 | |
| {{Party name with colour no link|Localist}}
| 18 | |
| {{Party name with colour no link|Other}}
| 53 | |
: 1.{{note|a}}Plaid Cymru figures include Plaid Cymru and Green Party Common Ground Alliance candidates in Cardiff.
=Councils=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| rowspan="2" | Council
! rowspan="2" | Seats ! colspan="4" | Party control ! rowspan="2" | Details |
|---|
| colspan="2" | Previous
! colspan="2" | New |
| Anglesey
| 35 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Plaid Cymru/independent coalition) | {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}} | Details |
| Blaenau Gwent
| 33 | {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Bridgend
| 51 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Labour minority) | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Caerphilly
| 69 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Cardiff
| 79 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Carmarthenshire
| 75 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Plaid Cymru/independent coalition) | {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}} | Details |
| Ceredigion
| 38 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Plaid Cymru/independent coalition) | {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}} | Details |
| Conwy
| 55 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Conservative/independent coalition) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Denbighshire
| 48 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Conservative/independent coalition) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Flintshire
| 66 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Labour minority) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Gwynedd
| 69 | {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}} | {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}} | Details |
| Merthyr Tydfil
| 30 | {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Monmouthshire
| 46 | {{Party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Neath Port Talbot
| 60 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Newport
| 51 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Pembrokeshire
| 60 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (independent/Labour/Plaid Cymru/Lib Dem coalition) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Powys
| 68 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (independent/Conservative coalition) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf
| 75 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Swansea
| 75 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Torfaen
| 40 | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | {{Party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} | Details |
| Vale of Glamorgan
| 54 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (Labour/independent coalition) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| Wrexham
| 56 | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} (independent/Conservative coalition) | {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | Details |
| class="sortbottom"
| All 22 councils | 1,233 | colspan="4" | |
Results
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right;" |
| colspan=2 | Party
! style="width:55px;" | % ! style="width:45px;" | +/- ! style="width:55px;" | Councils ! style="width:45px;" | +/- ! style="width:55px;" | Seats ! style="width:35px;" | +/- |
|---|
| {{Party name with colour|Welsh Labour}}
| 323,075 |34% |{{increase}}3.6% |8 |{{increase}}1 |526 |{{increase}}66 |
| {{Party name with colour|Independent (politician)}}
| 206,703 |21.76% |{{decrease}}0.74% |0 |{{decrease}}3 |307 |{{decrease}}2 |
| {{Party name with colour|Plaid Cymru}}
|160,284 |16.87% |{{increase}}0.37% |4 |{{increase}}3 |202 |{{decrease}}6 |
| {{Party name with colour|Welsh Conservatives}}
|145,115 |15.28% |{{decrease}}3.52% |0 |{{decrease}}1 |111 |{{decrease}}86 |
| {{Party name with colour|Welsh Liberal Democrats}}
| 66,180 |6.97% |{{increase}}0.17% |0 |{{steady}} |69 |{{increase}}10 |
| {{Party name with colour|Green Party of England and Wales}}
| 21,585 |2.27% |{{increase}}0.97% |0 |{{steady}} |8 |{{increase}}7 |
| {{Party name with colour no link|Other}}
| 26,939 |2.84% |{{increase}}0.34% |0 |{{steady}} |{{decrease}}12 |
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}}
| n/a | n/a | n/a |10 |{{decrease}}1 | n/a | n/a |
| {{Party name with colour| Post-election vacancy}}
| n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a | 2 | n/a |
The Conservatives lost 86 councillors and lost control of the one council which they administered, Monmouthshire. Though Plaid Cymru lost a small amount of councillors, they consolidated and gained three councils.{{cite web |title=Local Elections 2022 in Wales |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2022/wales/results |website=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=9 May 2022}} The Liberal Democrats became the largest party in Powys council. The Welsh Green Party gained 8 councillors across 7 councils. Propel gained one councillor in Cardiff.{{cite news |title=The Wales local election results and reaction where you live |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2022-05-06/local-elections-2022-live-wales-council-results |access-date=9 May 2022 |work=ITV News |date=7 May 2022 |language=en}}
Whilst Labour gained two councils and lost one, they gained 66 councillors across the country.{{cite news |title=Welsh election results 2022: Tories lose their only council |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-61335359 |access-date=9 May 2022 |work=BBC News |date=6 May 2022}}
=Analysis=
{{Expand section|date=May 2022}}
Ward result maps
=By council=
File:2022 Isle of Anglesey County Council Election Map.png|Anglesey 2022 result map
File:Cardiff Council Election 2022 results map.png|Cardiff 2022 result map
File:2022 Ceredigion County Council election map.png|Ceredigion 2022 result map
File:2022 Conwy County Borough Council Election.png|Conwy 2022 result map
File:Denbighshire County Council 2022 Election results map.png|Denbighshire 2022 result map
File:2022 Monmouthshire Council Election results.svg|Monmouthshire 2022 result map
File:2022 Powys County Council Election Map.png|Powys 2022 result map
File:Vale of Glamorgan Council 2022 Election results map.png|Vale of Glamorgan 2022 result map
File:2022 Wales Wrexham Ward election results map.svg|Wrexham 2022 result map
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Welsh elections|state=expanded}}
{{2022 United Kingdom local elections}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Council elections in Wales