Penarth Town Council
Penarth Town Council is an elected community council serving the town of Penarth in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. Background Penarth has had a council of one form or another since the 1890s. Penarth Town Council came into existence in 1974 at the same time as local government reorganisation. Town councillors represent Penarth's views on various committees and to wider public bodies. It gives out awards and grants. The council is responsible for Penarth Cemetery (which was originally acquired by Penarth Urban District Council in 1903) and the town allotments. The council also manages three important buildings in the town, namely West House (the council headquarters), The Paget Rooms (a theatre in the town centre) and The Kymin (a Georgian house near the seafront). West House was purchased from Vale of Glamorgan Council for £100,000 and is the location for the council chamber (where council meetings are held), a Register Office (for births and deaths) and is a licensed wedding venue. Representation Sixteen councillors are elected from the four electoral wards in the town, namely: Cornerswell (4), Plymouth (4), St Augustine's (5) and Stanwell (3). In 2017 eleven of the seats were won by the Labour Party and five by the Conservatives. In January 2018 the council supported recommendations that five senior councillors would receive an allowance of £500 per year. Mayor The council elects a town mayor and deputy mayor annually. Council composition Following the election on 4 May 2017 Labour were the largest party. The Conservatives increased their numbers from four to five, winning back a seat from Labour for the St Augustine's ward. Candidates also stood for Plaid Cymru, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Penarth First Independents, though these other parties didn't win any seats. Stanwell councillor Janice Birch, who'd first been elected in 1975, stood down at this election. West House West House which has Victorian additions dates back several centuries. There are records from the mid 1700s which show it was originally a farm house. In 1765 the Will of Edward Edwards (1702-1765) states that West House Farm which he owned as a rental property was to be left to his daughter Catherine Edwards. He also mentions in the Will that he owned Marsh House Farm. It seems that the Edwards family immediately sold the two farms as in a Survey of 1766 they were shown to both be in the possession of the Earl of Plymouth as part of the Plymouth Estate. At this time the Earl was Other Windsor, 4th Earl of Plymouth (1731-1771). After his dealth it was inherited by his son Other Windsor, 5th Earl of Plymouth (1751-1799) and then by his son Other Windsor, 6th Earl of Plymouth (1789-1833). After his death in 1833 his sister Harriet Windsor-Clive, 13th Baroness Windsor (1797-1869) became the owner. The Tithe map of 1843 for Penarth shows that she and her husband Robert Windsor- Clive were the owners of West House and Elizabeth Lawrence was the occupier. Lady Harriet Windsor-Clive was a