Newport City Council

Newport City Council
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Leader
Bob Bright, Labour Party
Matthew Evans
Seats 50
Elections
First past the post
Last election
3 May 2012
Meeting place
Newport Civic Centre, Newport, NP20 4UR
Website
www.newport.gov.uk

Newport City Council is the governing body for the city of Newport, one of the subdivisions of Wales within the United Kingdom. It consists of 50 councillors, representing the city's 20 wards.

From the 2008 election until 2012 no party had an overall majority of councillors so the council was controlled jointly by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats with the Conservatives' Matthew Evans as council leader. For decades previously it had been controlled by the Labour Party. In the 2012 elections the Labour Party regained control with an overall majority.

Political makeup

Elections take place every four years. The last election was 3 May 2012.

Current composition

Group affiliation[1] Current Representatives
Members
Labour
  • Miqdad Al-Nuaimi
  • Tom Bond
  • Bob Bright
  • Paul Cockeram
  • Emma Corten
  • Deb Davies
  • Valerie Delahaye
  • Emma Garland
  • Gail Giles
  • John Guy
  • Paul Hannon
  • Debbie Harvey
  • Ibrahim Hayat
  • Paul Huntley
  • Rhys Hutchings
  • Roger Jeavons
  • Chris Jenkins
  • Ron Jones
  • Malcolm Linton
  • Christine Maxfield
  • David Mayer
  • Sally Mlewa
  • Allan Morris
  • Jane Mudd
  • Bob Poole
  • Majid Rahman
  • John Richards
  • Mark Spencer
  • Clifford Suller
  • Herbie Thomas
  • Kate Thomas
  • Ray Truman
  • Trevor Watkins
  • Mark Whitcutt
  • Debbie Wilcox
36
Conservative
  • David Atwell
  • Margaret Cornelious
  • Matthew Evans
  • Charles Ferris
  • David Fouweather
  • Martyn Kellaway
  • Ray Mogford
  • Thomas Suller
  • Richard White
  • David Williams
10
  Independent
3
Liberal Democrat Ed Townsend 1
 Total
50

Historic results

Year Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Plaid CymruOthersNotes
2012 37 10 1 0 2
2008 22 17 9 1 1Six seats decided via by-election on 5 June 2008
2004 31 11 6 1 1
2003 37 6 1 1 2
1999 40 5 0 0 2Council of 47 seats

Municipal history

Newport is an ancient mesne borough, occupying an important position on the Welsh Marches. The town grew up round the castle built early in the 12th century. Giraldus Cambrensis, writing in 1187, calls it Novus Burgus, probably to distinguish it from Caerleon, whose prosperity declined as that of Newport increased. The first lord was Robert Fitzhamon, who died in 1107, and from him the lordship passed to the Earls of Gloucester and Stafford and the Dukes of Buckingham. Hugh le Despenser, who held the lordship for a short time, obtained in 1323 a charter of liberties for the burgesses, granting them freedom from toll throughout England, Ireland and Aquitaine. Hugh, Earl of Stafford granted a further charter in 1385, confirmed by his grandson in 1427, which gave the burgesses the right of self-government and of a merchant gild. On the attainder of the Duke of Buckingham in 1483 the lordship lapsed to the crown, of whom it was held in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Pembrokes, and in the 19th by the Beauforts.

The town was incorporated by Royal Charter of James I in 1623 and confirmed by Charles II in 1685. This created a Corporation which consisted of a mayor and twelve aldermen who governed the Borough and were responsible for law and order. They were assisted by a Recorder and two Bailiffs. This system of government lasted in essence until the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. This reconstituted the Corporation as an elected Borough Council, comprising a mayor, aldermen and councillors. The Newport Borough Police were formed a year later.

During the 19th century the Borough grew in size from 239 acres (97 ha) to 4,924 acres (1,993 ha) by taking in parts of the surrounding parishes of St. Woolos, Christchurch and Nash.

When modern local government was introduced by the Local Government Act 1888 it was one of the first places to become a county borough (in 1891), and thus became administratively independent of Monmouthshire. This situation persisted until 1974 when, due to local government reorganisation and the abolition of county boroughs, it became a non-metropolitan borough, along with a large increase in its borders to 46,976 acres (19,011 ha). In 1996, another wave of local-government reorganisation reverted the council to its previous status of a county borough. In 2002 it was granted formal city status.

Mayoralty

For the municipal year 20142015, the mayor is The Right Worshipful The Mayor of Newport Councillor Matthew Evans.[2]

Wards

The city is divided into 20 wards. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. Each community can have an elected council. The following table lists city council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

Ward Communities (Parishes) Other geographic areas
Allt-yr-yn Allt-yr-yn Ridgeway, Barrack Hill, Glasllwch, Gold Tops
Alway Alway Somerton, Lawrence Hill
Beechwood Beechwood Eveswell
Bettws Bettws
Caerleon Caerleon Christchurch, Bulmore
Gaer Gaer Maesglas, Stelvio, St. Davids
Graig Graig* Rhiwderin, Bassaleg, Lower Machen, Pentre Poeth, Fox Hill
Langstone Langstone*, Llanvaches*, Penhow* Llanmartin, Parc Seymour, Wentwood Forest, Coed-y-caerau, Cat's Ash, Llanbedr, Whitebrook
Llanwern Bishton, Goldcliff*, Llanwern*, Redwick* Underwood, Whitson, Summerleaze, Wilcrick, Saltmarsh, Milton, Porton
Lliswerry Lliswerry, Nash* Broadmead Park, Moorland Park, Uskmouth, Broadstreet Common
Malpas Malpas
Marshfield Coedkernew*, Marshfield*, Michaelstone-y-Fedw*, Wentloog* Castleton, St. Brides, Blacktown, Peterstone
Pillgwenlly Pillgwenlly Level of Mendalgief
Ringland Ringland Bishpool, Treberth, Coldra
Rogerstone Rogerstone* High Cross, Cefn Wood, Croesllanfro, Mount Pleasant
Shaftesbury Shaftesbury Brynglas, Crindau, Marshes, Blaen-y-pant
St. Julian's St. Julian's Riverside, Barnardtown
Stow Hill Stow Hill St. Woolos, Baneswell, City centre
Tredegar Park Tredegar Park Duffryn
Victoria Victoria Maindee, Summerhill

Sites

In the news

In October 2013, the council's controversial demolition of a 35-metre long Chartist Mural reached national attention.[3][4] The 35-year-old mural commemorated Newport's Chartist history, specifically the Newport Rising of 1839. The Guardian suggested it was "not just budgets, but a collective cultural history that's under attack.".[4] A spokesman for the council stated that the mural "has served to remind us of Newport’s past, but we must now focus on Newport’s future."[5] A trust is to be set up to commission a new memorial with £50,000 of funding provided by Newport City Council[6]

References

External links

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