| Election Name: | 2022 Ceredigion County Council election |
| Country: | Wales |
| Type: | Parliamentary |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Party Colour: | yes |
| Next Year: | 2027 |
| Majority Seats: | 20 |
| Election Date: | 5 May 2022 |
| Leader1: | Bryan Davies |
| Leaders Seat1: | Llannarth |
| Last Election1: | 20 |
| Seats1: | 20 |
| Seat Change1: | 0 |
| Party2: | Independent (politician) |
| Last Election2: | 13 |
| Seats2: | 9 |
| Leader3: | Ceredig Davies |
| Party3: | Welsh Liberal Democrats |
| Leaders Seat3: | Did not contest |
| Last Election3: | 8 |
| Seats3: | 7 |
| Leader4: | Hag Harris |
| Party4: | Welsh Labour |
| Leaders Seat4: | Lampeter |
| Last Election4: | 1 |
| Seats4: | 1 |
| Seat Change4: | 0 |
| Leader5: | Gwyn Wigley Evans |
| Party5: | Gwlad |
| Leaders Seat5: | Llanrhystyd |
| Last Election5: | N/A |
| Seats5: | 1 |
| Council control | |
| Posttitle: | Council control after election |
| Before Party: | Plaid Cymru and Independent coalition |
| After Election: | Plaid Cymru |
| After Party: | Plaid Cymru |
The 2022 Ceredigion County Council election took place as of 5 May 2022 to elect 38 members to Ceredigion Council. On the same day, elections were held to the other 21 local authorities and to community councils in Wales as part of the 2022 Welsh local elections. The previous all-council election took place in May 2017 and future elections will take place every five years.
Council elections in Wales were originally scheduled for May 2021, but were delayed to avoid a conflict with the 2021 Senedd election. The frequency of the elections was also increased from 4 years to five years to avoid future clashes, meaning (after 2022) the next council election is expected in 2027.
The number of councillors was decreased by 4 after the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales recommended the change in a report in May 2019.[1] The number of wards was also decreased to 34 from 40.[2]
Plaid Cymru groups in conjunction with Independent group had been in control of the council since 2012. Ellen ap Gwynn had been the leader of the council and leader of the Plaid Cymru group in the council since 2012, but she stepped back from that role after the elections. Bryan Davies, the County Councillor for Llannarth was chosen as the successor of ap Gwynn and leader of the Plaid Cymru group.[3]
In August 2021 Welsh Government accepted a number of ward change proposals by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, with slight modifications on Welsh language names for some wards. These took effect from the 2022 council election. The changes gave a better parity of representation. 4 wards; Aberystwyth Penparcau, Aberystwyth Morlais a Glais, Beulah and Llangoedmor and Aberporth and Y Ferwig will be electing 2 councillors. 19 current wards will see no change under these reforms.[4]
A total of 86 candidates stood for the 38 seats on the council (an average of 2.3 candidates per seat). Six political parties stood candidates in this election, plus 27 independent candidates.
Five candidates (two independent, one Plaid Cymru, one Liberal Democrat, one Labour) were the only candidates in their ward, and were thus returned unopposed without an election taking place.
| Party | Number of candidates | Number of wards | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 26 | |||
| 27 | 24 | |||
| 12 | 11 | |||
| 9 | 8 | |||
| 5 | 5 | |||
| 2 | 1 | |||
| 1 | 1 | |||
| Total | 86 / 38 | 34 | ||
Plaid Cymru won control of Ceredigion County Council in this election. With the number of seats reduced to 38, 20 seats were required for an outright majority. Plaid Cymru won 20 seats (no net change), independents lost four seats, while the Liberal Democrats lost one seat to Gwlad.[5]
|-bgcolor=#F6F6F6| colspan=2 style="text-align: right; margin-right: 1em" | Total| style="text-align: right;" | 38| colspan=5 || style="text-align: right;" | 27,282| style="text-align: right;" | |-|}
* = sitting councillor in this ward prior to election
This ward was formed from a merger of the existing Aberaeron ward with the western portion of the Llansantffraed ward around the village of Aberarth.
This ward was formed by a merger of the Aberporth ward and the northern part of the Pen-parc ward. Prior to this election, Clive Davies was the incumbent councillor for Pen-parc ward, while Gethin Davies was the incumbent councillor for the Aberporth ward.
This ward was formed from a merger of Aberystwyth North ward, Aberystwyth Bronglais ward, Aberystwyth Central ward and the north-western part of Llanbadarn Fawr Sulien ward.
Prior to this election, Mark Anthony Strong was the incumbent councillor for Aberystwyth North ward, while Alun Williams was the incumbent councillor for Aberystwyth Bronglais ward.
This ward was formed by a merger of the southern part of Pen-parc ward, and all of Beulah ward. Prior to the election, both of these were held by Plaid Cymru.
Gareth Davies was the incumbent councillor for the ward of Llanbadarn Fawr, Padarn ward prior to the election, which was merged with part of the Llanbadarn Fawr, Sulien ward (the other part of Sulien forming part of the new Aberystwyth Morlais a Glais ward).
This ward was formed from a merger of the larger south-western section of the Llandysilio-gogo ward and the north eastern section of the Penbryn ward.
This ward was formed from a merger of the Troedyraur ward and the northern half of the Capel Dewi ward. Prior to this election, both wards were held by independents.
This ward was formed by a merger of the Llandysul Town ward and the south-eastern half of the Capel Dewi ward. Both wards were held by independents prior to this election. Keith Evans was the incumbent councillor for Llandysul Town ward prior to this election.
The area of this ward was reduced for this election, with the eastern portion of the ward around Aberarth merging with the Aberaeron ward to form Aberaeron and Aberarth.
The area of this ward was reduced for this election, with the south-eastern portion of the ward around Ystrad Fflur merging with the Tregaron ward to form Tregaron and Ystrad Fflur.
The English name for this ward was 'Cardigan Mwldan' prior to this election. No changes were made to the ward's boundaries.
This ward was formed from a merger of the existing New Quay ward plus a northern section of the Llandysilio-gogo ward.
The area of this ward was reduced for this election, with the north-eastern portion of the ward around Llangrannog merging with part of the Llandysilio ward to form Llandysilio and Llangrannog.
The Teifi ward was created for this election by the merging of the 'Cardigan, Teifi' and 'Cardigan, Rhydyfuwch' wards. Prior to the election, Elaine Evans was the incumbent councillor for 'Cardigan, Rhydyfuwch' ward, while Catrin Miles was the incumbent councillor for 'Cardigan, Teifi' ward.
This ward was formed from a merger of the existing Tregaron ward with a south-eastern portion of Lledrod ward. Prior to this election Ifan Davies was the incumbent councillor for Lledrod ward, and Catherine Hughes was the incumbent councillor for Tregaron ward.
A by-election was held in the Lampeter ward following the death of Labour councillor Hag Harris, a member of the Council since its formation in 1995, and previously a member of Dyfed County Council since 1981.[6]
A by-election was held in the Llanfarian ward following the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Geraint Hughes who had captured the seat from Plaid Cymru in 2022. His party narrowly held the seat.
A by-election was held in the Aberystwyth Penparcau ward following the resignation of Plaid Cymru councillor Steve Davies who was first elected in 2012. His party held the seat.
A by-election was held on 17 October in the Tirymynach ward following the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Paul Hinge, who was first elected in 2008.