Vale of Glamorgan Council
# Vale of Glamorgan Council

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is the governing body for the Vale of Glamorgan, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.

## History

The new Vale of Glamorgan Council unitary authority came into effect on 1 April 1996, following the dissolution of South Glamorgan. It replaced the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council, which had been created in 1974 as a second-tier authority to South Glamorgan County Council.

## Political control

The council has been under no overall control since 2012. Since the 2022 election the council has been run by a coalition of Labour, the Llantwit First Independents, and one of the independent councillors.

The first election to the reconstituted council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows:

| Party in control | Years |
| - | - |
| Labour | 1996–1999 |
| No overall control | 1999–2008 |
| Conservative | 2008–2012 |
| No overall control | 2012–present |

### Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Vale of Glamorgan, with political leadership provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1999 have been:

| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| - | - | - | - |
| Jeff James | Conservative | May 1999 | 6 Dec 2006 |
| Margaret Alexander | Labour | 6 Dec 2006 | May 2008 |
| Gordon Kemp | Conservative | May 2008 | May 2012 |
| Neil Moore | Labour | May 2012 | 24 May 2017 |
| John Thomas | Conservative | 24 May 2017 | 20 May 2019 |
| Neil Moore | Labour | 20 May 2019 | 8 May 2022 |
| Lis Burnett | Labour | 23 May 2022 | |

### Composition

Following the 2022 election the composition of the council was:

| Party | Party | Councillors |
| - | - | - |
| | Labour | 25 |
| | Conservative | 13 |
| | Plaid Cymru | 8 |
| | Llantwit First Independent | 4 |
| | Independent | 4 |
| Total | Total | 54 |

The next election is due in 2027.

## Elections

Since 2012, elections have taken place every five years. The last election was 5 May 2022.

| Year | Seats | Labour | Conservative | Plaid Cymru | Independent | Liberal Democrats | UKIP | Notes |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1995 | 47 | 36 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled |
| 1999 | 47 | 18 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 47 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 47 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 47 | 22 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 47 | 14 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 54 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |

Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.

## Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Holton Road in Barry, which were built in 1981 for the old Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council.

## Electoral divisions

Until 2022 the county borough was divided into 23 electoral wards returning 47 councillors. Some of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Other wards may encompass several communities and in some cases communities can encompass more than one ward. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas prior to the 2022 boundary changes. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

| Ward | Communities (Parishes) | Other geographic areas |
| - | - | - |
| Baruc | Barry Town* (Baruc ward) | The Knap, Garden Suburb, Barry Island |
| Buttrills | Barry Town* (Buttrills ward) | |
| Cadoc | Barry Town* (Cadoc ward) | Cadoxton, Palmerstown |
| Castleland | Barry Town* (Castleland ward) | Bendricks |
| Cornerswell | Penarth Town* (Cornerswell ward) | Cogan |
| Court | Barry Town* (Court ward) | |
| Cowbridge | Cowbridge with Llanblethian Town* Llanfair* Penllyn* | Aberthin, City, Craig Penllyn, Llanblethian, Llandough, Llansannor, Penllyn, Pentre Meyrick, St Mary Church, St. Hillary, Trehyngyll, Ystradowen |
| Dinas Powys | Dinas Powys* Michaelston* | Eastbrook, Leckwith, Michaelston le Pit, Murch, St Andrew's Major, Westra |
| Dyfan | Barry Town* (Dyfan ward) | Colcot, Highlight Park |
| Gibbonsdown | Barry Town* (Gibbonsdown ward) | Merthyr Dyfan |
| Illtyd | Barry Town* (Illtyd ward) | Cwm Talwg |
| Llandough | Llandough* | |
| Llandow/Ewenny | Colwinston* Ewenny* Llandow* Llangan* | Colwinston, Corntown, Llysworney, Ruthin, St. Mary Hill, Sigingstone, Troes, |
| Llantwit Major | Llan-maes* Llantwit Major Town* St. Donats* | Boverton, Llanmaes, Monknash |
| Peterston-super-Ely | Pendoylan* Peterston-super-Ely* St. Georges-super-Ely* Welsh St. Donats* | Clawdd Coch, Downs, Drope, Gwern y Steeple, Hensol, Pendoylan, St. Brides-super-Ely, St. George's |
| Plymouth | Penarth Town* (Plymouth ward) | Lower Penarth, Cosmeston |
| Rhoose | Llancarfan* Rhoose | East Aberthaw, Fonmon, Font-y-gari, Llanbethery, Llancadle, Llancarfan, Llantrithyd, Moulton, Penmark, Porthkerry, Tredogan, Walerston, |
| St Athan | St Athan* | Flemingston, Gileston, West Aberthaw, East Camp, Eglwys Brewis |
| St Augustine's | Penarth Town* (St. Augustine ward) | Headlands, Penarth Marina, |
| St. Bride's Major | St. Bride's Major* Wick* | Boughton, Ogmore, Ogmore-by-Sea, Southerndown |
| Stanwell | Penarth Town* (Stanwell ward) | |
| Sully | Sully and Lavernock* | Cog, Cosmeston, Swanbridge |
| Wenvoe | St Nicholas and Bonvilston Wenvoe* | Dyffryn, St. Lythans |

## In the news

In 2010 it was revealed that the chief executive of the Vale of Glamorgan Council was the fourth highest paid in Wales, at £160,000 and £170,000 per annum. This was more than the salary of the Prime Minister of The United Kingdom and the First Minister of Wales. The Vale of Glamorgan Council released in a press statement that, "The salary is on a par with other council chief executives".

