| Vale of Glamorgan Council | |
| Native Name: | Cyngor Bro Morgannwg |
| Native Name Lang: | cym |
| Logo Pic: | Vale of Glamorgan Council.svg |
| Logo Res: | 200px |
| House Type: | County Borough |
| Foundation: | 1 April 1996 |
| Preceded By: | Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council South Glamorgan County Council |
| Leader1 Type: | Mayor |
| Leader1: | Elliot Penn |
| Party1: | Labour |
| Election1: | 8 May 2024[1] |
| Leader2 Type: | Leader |
| Leader2: | Lis Burnett |
| Party2: | Labour |
| Election2: | 23 May 2022[2] |
| Leader3 Type: | Chief Executive |
| Leader3: | Rob Thomas |
| Election3: | 1 May 2015[3] |
| Seats: | 54 councillors[4] [5] |
| Political Groups1: |
|
| Term Length: | 5 years |
| Voting System1: | First past the post |
| First Election1: | 4 May 1995 |
| Last Election1: | 5 May 2022 |
| Next Election1: | 6 May 2027 |
| Session Room: | Civic Offices, Barry - geograph.org.uk - 3314262.jpg |
| Meeting Place: | Civic Offices, Holton Road, Barry, CF634RU |
The Vale of Glamorgan Council is the governing body for the Vale of Glamorgan, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.
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.
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.[6]
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:[7]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| 1996–1999 | ||
| 1999–2008 | ||
| 2008–2012 | ||
| 2012–present | ||
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:[8]
| Councillor | Party | From | To | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff James[9] | May 1999 | 6 Dec 2006 | ||
| Margaret Alexander[10] | 6 Dec 2006 | May 2008 | ||
| Gordon Kemp[11] | May 2008 | May 2012 | ||
| Neil Moore[12] | May 2012 | 24 May 2017 | ||
| John Thomas | 24 May 2017 | 20 May 2019 | ||
| Neil Moore[13] | 20 May 2019 | 8 May 2022 | ||
| Lis Burnett | 23 May 2022 | |||
Following the 2022 election the composition of the council was:
| Party | Councillors | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | |||
| 13 | |||
| 8 | |||
| 4 | |||
| 4 | |||
| Total | 54 | ||
The next election is due in 2027.
Since 2012, elections have taken place every five years. The last election was 5 May 2022.[7]
| Year | Seats | Labour | Conservative | Plaid Cymru | Independent | Liberal Democrats | UKIP | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995[14] | 47 | 36 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Labour majority controlled | |
| 47 | 18 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2004[15] | 47 | 16 | 20 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 47 | 13 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 47 | 22 | 11 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 1 | [16] | ||
| 2017[17] | 47 | 14 | 23 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 54 | 25 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | [18] | |
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.[9]
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
| ||
| Buttrills | Barry Town
| ||
| Cadoc | Barry Town
| ||
| Castleland | Barry Town
| Bendricks | |
| Cornerswell | Penarth Town
| Cogan | |
| Court | Barry Town
| ||
| Cowbridge | Aberthin, City, Craig Penllyn, Llanblethian, Llandough, Llansannor, Penllyn, Pentre Meyrick, St Mary Church, St. Hillary, Trehyngyll, Ystradowen | ||
| Dinas Powys | Eastbrook, Leckwith, Michaelston le Pit, Murch, St Andrew's Major, Westra | ||
| Dyfan | Barry Town
| Colcot, Highlight Park | |
| Gibbonsdown | Barry Town
| Merthyr Dyfan | |
| Illtyd | Barry Town
| Cwm Talwg | |
| Llandough | Llandough* | ||
| Llandow/Ewenny | Colwinston, Corntown, Llysworney, Ruthin, St. Mary Hill, Sigingstone, Troes, | ||
| Llantwit Major | Boverton, Llanmaes, Monknash | ||
| Peterston-super-Ely | Clawdd Coch, Downs, Drope, Gwern y Steeple, Hensol, Pendoylan, St. Brides-super-Ely, St. George's | ||
| Plymouth | Penarth Town
| Lower Penarth, Cosmeston | |
| 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
| Headlands, Penarth Marina, | |
| St. Bride's Major |
| Boughton, Ogmore, Ogmore-by-Sea, Southerndown | |
| Stanwell | Penarth Town
| ||
| Sully | Sully and Lavernock | Cog, Cosmeston, Swanbridge | |
| Wenvoe |
| Dyffryn, St. Lythans |