Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council (Welsh: Cyngor bwrdeistref Sirol Merthyr Tudful) is the governing body for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council is based at the Civic Centre on Castle Street in Merthyr Tydfil. The council has been under no overall control since 2017. A minority Labour administration has been running the council since 2024, supported by some of the independent councillors.
Merthyr Tydfil Council Cyngor Merthyr Tudful | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | Unitary authority |
| History | |
| Founded | 1905 (Municipal borough) 1908 (County borough) 1974 (Borough) 1 April 1996 (County Borough) |
| Leadership | |
Mayor | Paula Layton, Independent since 14 May 2025 |
Leader | Brent Carter, Labour since 18 September 2024 |
Chief Executive | Ellis Cooper since 17 June 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 30 councillors |
Political groups |
|
Length of term | 5 years |
| Elections | |
Voting system | First-past-the-post |
Last election | 5 May 2022 |
Next election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
| Civic Centre, Castle Street, Merthyr Tydfil, CF47 8AN | |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
The parish of Merthyr Tydfil was governed by a local board from 1850 until 1894, when it was replaced by an urban district council. The urban district was incorporated as a borough in 1905, creating the first Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council. In 1908 the council took over county-level functions from Glamorgan County Council in the area, becoming a county borough. It retained county borough status until 1974, when there were significant changes to local government under the Local Government Act 1972. From 1974 until 1996, Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council was a lower-tier district council, with Mid Glamorgan County Council providing county-level services in the area. Since the abolition of Mid Glamorgan County Council in 1996, Merthyr Tydfil has again been a county borough.
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since 2017. Following the 2022 election, the independents and Labour each had 15 councillors. The independents managed to form the council's administration on the mayor's casting vote. Following a number of changes of allegiance and a by-election, the independent administration was replaced in September 2024 with a minority Labour administration. Two of the independent councillors subsequently joined Labour in the council's cabinet.
The first election to the council following the Local Government Act 1972 was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its revised powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:
Lower-tier borough
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1974–1976 | |
| Plaid Cymru | 1976–1979 | |
| Labour | 1979–1996 | |
County borough
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 1996–1999 | |
| No overall control | 1999–2004 | |
| Labour | 2004–2008 | |
| Independent | 2008–2012 | |
| Labour | 2012–2017 | |
| No overall control | 2017–present | |
Leadership
The role of Mayor of Merthyr Tydfil is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2002 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harvey Jones | Labour | 2002 | May 2008 | |
| Jeff Edwards | Independent | May 2008 | May 2012 | |
| Brendan Toomey | Labour | 16 May 2012 | May 2017 | |
| Kevin O'Neill | Independent | 14 Jun 2017 | 23 Dec 2020 | |
| Lisa Mytton | Independent | 20 Jan 2021 | May 2022 | |
| Geraint Thomas | Independent | 25 May 2022 | 18 Sep 2024 | |
| Brent Carter | Labour | 18 Sep 2024 | ||
Composition
Following the 2022 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to June 2025, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Labour | 14 | |
| Reform | 2 | |
| Independent | 14 | |
| Total | 30 | |
Nine of the independent councillors sit together as the 'Independent Group', two form the 'Dowlais and Pant Community Independents' and the other three are not aligned to a group. Cabinet positions are held by members of Labour, the Dowlais and Pant Community Independents group, and one of the non-aligned independents. The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
Since 2012, elections have been held every five years:
| Year | Seats | Labour | Independent / Others | Liberal Democrats | Plaid Cymru | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 33 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 1999 | 33 | 16 | 13 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2004 | 33 | 17 | 16 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2008 | 33 | 8 | 19 | 6 | 0 | Independent majority controlled |
| 2012 | 33 | 23 | 10 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2017 | 33 | 15 | 18 | 0 | 0 | Independent majority controlled |
| 2022 | 30 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 0 | New ward boundaries. No overall control; independent-led. |
Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.
Premises
Until 1989 the council was based at Merthyr Tydfil Town Hall, which had been built between 1896 and 1898 for the old urban district council. In 1989 a new civic centre was built on Castle Street, which opened as the council's headquarters at the start of January 1990.
Electoral divisions
The county borough is divided into 11 electoral wards returning 30 councillors. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name.
Bedlinog & Trelewis Community Council is the only community council in Merthyr Tydfil.
The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas.
| Ward | Communities (Parishes) | Other geographic areas |
|---|---|---|
| Bedlinog c | Bedlinog | Cwmfelin, Trelewis |
| Cyfarthfa c | Cyfarthfa | Clwydyfagwyr, Gelli-deg, Heolgerrig, Winch Fawr, Ynysfach |
| Dowlais |
| Pantyscallog, Rhydybedd, Tair Twynau, Dowlais Top, Caeharris, Caeracca, |
| Gurnos c | Gurnos | |
| Merthyr Vale c | Merthyr Vale | Aberfan, Mount Pleasant, |
| Park c | Park | |
| Penydarren c | Penydarren | Galon Uchaf |
| Plymouth | Troed-y-rhiw | Abercanaid, Pentrebach |
| Town c | Town | Twynyrodyn, Penyard |
| Treharris c | Treharris | Quakers Yard, Pentwyn, Fiddler's Elbow, Edwardsville |
| Vaynor c | Vaynor | Cefn Coed, Pontsticill, Trefechan |
c = Ward coterminous with community of the same name
See also
- List of electoral wards in Merthyr Tydfil County Borough
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