Bridgend County Borough Council


Bridgend County Borough Council is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the Principal Areas of Wales.

Background

Bridgend County Borough and Bridgend County Borough Council came into effect from 1 April 1996, following the Local Government Act 1994. Bridgend County Borough Council largely replaced Ogwr Borough Council, though St Brides Major, Ewenny and Wick were transferred from Ogwr to the Vale of Glamorgan.

Current composition

Historic results

Prior to the May 2008 elections Bridgend Council was run by a coalition of Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Plaid Cymru and Independent councillors. After the election the leadership returned to the Labour Party, led by councillor Mel Nott.
In November 2014 the council voted to propose a merger with the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan Council, though this was rejected by the Welsh Government's Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews, as not meeting the criteria to be able to proceed.
The council elections on 5 May 2017 saw Labour lose its majority control of the council with, for example, three of the four Brackla seats being taken by the Conservatives from Labour. Keith Edwards and Ross Thomas, who'd been deselected by Labour for voting against the proposed local authority merger, won as Independents in Maesteg.

Leadership

Electoral divisions

The county borough is divided into 39 electoral wards. Some of these wards are coterminous with communities of the same name. Some communities have their own elected council. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':
WardCommunities Other geographic areas
Aberkenfig
  • Llangynwyd Lower*
  • Newcastle Higher*
BettwsGarw Valley*
BlackmillOgmore Valley*
BlaengarwGarw Valley*
Brackla cBrackla*
BryncethinSt Bride's Minor*
BryncochSt Bride's Minor*
Bryntirion, Laleston and Merthyr Mawr
  • Merthyr Mawr*
  • Laleston*
    • CaerauMaesteg*
    Cefn Cribwr cCefn Cribwr*
    Cefn GlasLaleston*
    CoityCoity Higher*
    Cornelly cCornelly*
    Coychurch Lower cCoychurch Lower*
    FelindrePencoed*
    HendrePencoed*
    LitchardCoity Higher
    LlangeinorGarw Valley*
    Llangewydd & BrynhyfrydLaleston*
    LlangynwydLlangynwyd Middle*
    Maesteg EastMaesteg*
    Maesteg WestMaesteg*
    MorfaBridgend Town*
    Nant-y-MoelOgmore Valley*
    NewcastleBridgend Town*
    NewtonPorthcawl Town*
    NottagePorthcawl Town*
    Ogmore ValeOgmore Valley*
    OldcastleBridgend Town*
    PendreCoity Higher*
    Penprysg
  • Coychurch Higher*
  • Pencoed*
    • Pen-y-faiNewcastle Higher*
    PontycymerGarw Valley*
    Porthcawl East CentralPorthcawl Town*
    Porthcawl West CentralPorthcawl Town*
    Pyle cPyle*
    Rest BayPorthcawl Town*
    SarnSt Bride's Minor*
    Ynysawdre cYnysawdre*
    * = Communities which elect a community council

    c = Ward coterminous with community of the same name
    In January 2019 a consultation period began, to review the wards and representation in the county. It was proposed to reduce the number of electoral wards for 39 to 32, with a reduction in councillors from 54 to 52.