Abergwili (electoral ward)
Abergwili is an electoral ward, representing the community and village of Abergwili, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Profile
In 2014, the Abergwili electoral ward had an electorate of 1,906.[1] The total population was 2,335, of whom 71.6% were born in Wales. 55.7% of the population were able to speak Welsh.[1]
Current Representation
The Abergwili Ward is a single-member ward for the purposes of Carmarthenshire County Council elections. Since 1995 it has been represented by Independent councillor Pam Palmer.
Recent History
The first election to the new unitary Carmarthenshire County Council took place in 1995. Pam Palmer, who had represented the ward on the former Carmarthen District Council was elected with a large majority over the Plaid Cymru candidate.
| Abergwili 1995 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Pamela Ann Palmer* | 671 | 72.5 | ||
| Plaid Cymru | Frances Jane Dixon | 254 | 27.5 | ||
| Majority | 417 | 45.0 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
In 1999, Palmer was returned unopposed.
| Abergwili 1999 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Pamela Ann Palmer* | unopposed | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
Palmer faced opposition from Plaid Cymru and the Labour Party in 2004 but comfortably retained the seat.
| Abergwili 2004 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Pamela Ann Palmer* | 677 | 61.4 | +61.4 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Henry Jones-Davies | 246 | 22.3 | +22.3 | |
| Labour | Frances Elizabeth Owens | 179 | 16.2 | +16.2 | |
| Majority | 431 | 39.1 | |||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
In 2008, faced only by a Plaid Cymru opponent, Palmer increased her vote significantly.
| Abergwili 2008 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Pamela Ann Palmer* | 742 | 76.4 | +15.0 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Carl Harris | 229 | 23.6 | +1.3 | |
| Majority | 513 | 52.8 | +13.7 | ||
| Independent hold | Swing | ||||
At the 2012 election, Palmer was faced by an experienced Plaid Cymru candidate who had fought the Neath by-election in 1991. She was again returned but with a much-reduced majority.
| Abergwili 2012 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Independent | Pamela Ann Palmer* | 600 | 57.9 | -18.5 | |
| Plaid Cymru | Dewi Richard Evans | 436 | 42.1 | +18.5 | |
| Majority | 164 | 15.8 | -37.0 | ||
| Turnout | 56.5 | ||||
| Independent hold | Swing | 18.5 | |||
History
County Council Elections
Abergwili first became an electoral ward in the late nineteenth century with the formation of Carmarthenshire County Council and elected a member to that authority until its abolition in 1974.
With the formation of Dyfed County Council, Abergwili was part of the Carmarthen Rural No.6 Ward. This ward was renamed Abergwili in 1989. This ward was considerably larger than the previous Abergwili ward and included Cynwyl Elfed, Bronwydd and Abernant.
When the current Carmarthenshire County Council was formed in 1995 a ward based on similar boundaries to those in existence between 1889 and 1974 was re-established.
District Council Elections
From 1973 until 1996, Abergwili formed an electoral ward for the purposes of elections to Carmarthen District Council.
External links
References
- 1 2 "Abergwili Ward: Electoral Division Profile" (PDF). Carmarthenshire County Council. Retrieved 15 September 2014.