Carmarthen Town South was an electoral ward, representing part of the community of Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales. Much of its southern border was defined by the River Towy, with the Carmarthen Town North and Carmarthen Town West wards to the north.

Profile

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In 2014, the Carmarthen Town South electoral ward had an electorate of 2,896.[1] The total population was 3,785, of whom 70.6% were born in Wales. The 2011 census indicated that 38.2% of the population were able to speak Welsh.[1]

History

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Carmarthen Town South was an electoral ward since the 1940s. It was previously known as Carmarthen Town No.2 Ward. It became a two-member electoral ward for the purposes of elections to Carmarthenshire County Council. It corresponded to the South ward which elects five members to Carmarthen Town Council.

From 1973 until 1996 it was a single-member ward for the purposes of elections to Dyfed County Council and a two-member ward for elections to Carmarthen District Council.

Following a boundary review by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, Carmarthen Town South was merged with Carmarthen Town North to be called Carmarthen Town North and South, effective from the May 2022 local elections. The new ward saw an overall reduction in councillors from four to three.[2]

Current Representation

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Since 2017 the ward was represented by Plaid Cymru councillors Gareth John and Alun Lenny.

Carmarthen Town South (two seats)

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Carmarthen Town South 2017
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Gareth Howell John 551
Plaid Cymru Alun John Edwin Lenny* 493
Conservative Charlie Evans 399
Labour Philip William Grice 361
Independent Barry Williams 303
Turnout
Plaid Cymru hold Swing
Plaid Cymru hold Swing

Carmarthenshire County Council from 1995

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In 1995, Dr Margaret Evans, a Liberal Democrat member of Carmarthen District Council since 1991 and Russell Davies, a Labour member of the same authority since 1979 were elected as the ward's first representatives on the new Carmarthenshire County Council.[3]

Carmarthen Town South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Dr Margaret Elizabeth Evans* 982
Labour John Russell Davies* 808
Independent Richard John Goodridge 682
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Labour gain from Independent Swing

One of the seats was won by the Liberal Democrats in 1995 but lost to an Independent at a by-election following the death of the sitting member. The sitting Labour councillor, who had served on Carmarthen District Councuil since 1979, was de-selected by the party but was re-elected as an Independent Labour candidate.[4]

Carmarthen Town South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent June Williams* 774
Independent Labour John Russell Davies* 551
Plaid Cymru Geraint Thomas 547
Labour Philip William Grice 397
Labour Mandy Diane Peters 321
Independent hold Swing
Independent Labour gain from Labour Swing

Following the retirement of the Independent Labour (and former Labour) councillor, Russell Davies, the seat was won by a Labour candidate.

Carmarthen Town South
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent June Williams* 443
Labour Philip William Grice 551
Plaid Cymru David Jonathan Edwards 309
Independent Rob James 301
Independent Jennifer Fox 289
Plaid Cymru Jonathan Mendus Edwards 245
Independent hold Swing
Labour gain from Independent Labour Swing

Both sitting members were defeated.

Carmarthen Town South 2008
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Plaid Cymru Dafydd Arwel Lloyd 626
Independent Stephen Paul Dunn 369
Independent June Williams* 361
Labour Philip William Grice* 356
Independent Dudley Evans 231
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour Swing
Independent hold Swing

Plaid Cymru held both seats with the sitting members again returned.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Carmarthen Town South Ward: Electoral Division Profile" (PDF). Carmarthenshire County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
  2. ^ Clare Snowdon (21 July 2021). "Carmarthenshire to have one more councillor following electoral boundaries review". South Wales Guardian. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  3. ^ "Election Special". South Wales Evening Post. 5 May 1995.
  4. ^ This result is incorrect in the Western Mail.