Cardiff Council


The County Council of the City and County of Cardiff has been the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales, since 1996. The council consists of 75 councillors, representing 29 electoral wards. The authority is properly styled as 'the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff' or in common use Cardiff Council. No other style is sanctioned for use on Council Documents although it does occasionally appear wrongly as Cardiff County Council on documents and signage. The City & County itself is usually simply referred to as Cardiff.
After the 2004 election, which changed the control of the council from Labour to No Overall Control, the Liberal Democrats formed a minority administration, led by Cllr Rodney Berman. The Liberal Democrats remained the largest party following the 2008 local election, and formed an administration with Plaid Cymru.
In 2012, the Labour Party took overall control of Cardiff council, and remained in overall control following the 2017 elections.

Political makeup

take place every four years. The last election was 4 May 2017.

Current composition

Historic results

Council Leaders

At the age of 31, Huw Thomas became Wales' youngest council leader when he was elected in May 2017.

Seat totals

LabLib DemConPlaidIndi
1995619110
19995018511
200427331230
200813351773
20124616724
201740112031

The council was run by a Labour majority administration between 1995 and 2004. The Liberal Democrats ran a minority administration from 2004 to 2008, in coalition with Plaid Cymru.
Following the 2008 local elections in Cardiff there was still no party with an overall majority. The Lib Dems increased their total number of councillors to 35, forming an administration with Plaid Cymru, with Rodney Berman as leader of the Council. The Conservatives replaced Labour as the official opposition. Labour suffered badly, losing 14 councillors. Plaid Cymru gained four councillors. Three independent councillors were elected; two former Conservatives who had left the group in 2006 being joined by an additional member.
In 2012 Labour regained control of the council and remained in control following the 2017 elections.

History

Municipal life in Cardiff dates back to the 12th century, when Cardiff was granted borough status by the Earls of Gloucester. The offices of the mayor, aldermen, and common councillors developed during the Middle Ages.
Following The Local Government Act 1888 Cardiff was one of three Welsh towns granted county borough status, in addition to 13 Welsh county councils. In 1905, Cardiff became a city, and the borough council became a city council.
The City of Cardiff is the county town of Glamorgan. However, prior to 1974, Cardiff was a county borough in its own right and not subject to Glamorgan County Council. Council reorganisation in 1974 paired Cardiff City Council and the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council together as district councils subject to the new county of South Glamorgan.
Further local government restructuring in 1996 to better reflect local identities resulted in Cardiff City's district council becoming a unitary authority – the present Cardiff Council. South Glamorgan County Council had wanted a new 'greater Cardiff' authority to reflect the boundaries of South Glamorgan but the Conservative government of the time decided to separate the Vale of Glamorgan, which covered a marginal Conservative parliamentary seat.

Mayoralty

The first mayor of Cardiff is listed by the County Borough Records as Ralph "Prepositus de Kardi" who took up office in 1126. In 1835, Thomas Revel Guest became the first elected mayor of Cardiff when the first council elections were held. When Cardiff was granted city status in 1905 Cardiff's First Citizen became lord mayor. Robert Hughes, the mayor in 1904, was re-elected to become Cardiff's first lord mayor in the following year. The lord mayor was granted the right to the style "The Right Honourable". The lord mayor now bears the style "The Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Cardiff".
In 1999 a new system was introduced whereby the leader of the council could also serve as mayor for the duration of the council without re-election. This led to Russell Goodway serving as both council leader and mayor from 1999 to 2003. From 2004 the mayoralty reverted to a separate role, elected annually.
Since 1999 the post has been held by the following councillors:
Municipal YearLord MayorDeputy Lord Mayor
2019–2020Daniel De'Ath Jacqueline Parry
2018–2019Bob Derbyshire Daniel De'Ath
2012–2013Derrick Morgan Keith Jones
2012–2012Cerys Furlong **
2011–2012Delme Bowen Jayne Cowan
2010–2011Keith Hyde Dianne Rees
2009–2010Brian Griffiths Keith Hyde
2008–2009Kate Lloyd Jaswant Singh
2007–2008Gill Bird Brian Griffiths
2006–2007Gareth Neale Kate Lloyd
2005–2006Freda Salway Monica Walsh
2004–2005Jacqui Gasson Delme Bowen
2003–2004Gordon Houlston
2002–2003Russell Goodway
2001–2002Russell Goodway
2000–2001Russell Goodway
1999–2000Russell Goodway

** Following the council elections in May 2012, the position of lord mayor was unfilled, while the new Labour council attempted to split the responsibilities of the mayor between two councillors. Cllr Cerys Furlong filled the traditional mayoral roles from 17 May, as chair of the council during this period. The new mayor, Derrick Morgan, took office on 27 September after Furlong resigned her chair post when it became clear the split role proposition was losing support.

Electoral divisions

The unitary authority area is divided into 29 electoral wards. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities of the same name. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':
WardCommunitiesOther geographic areas
1 AdamsdownAdamsdownCardiff city centre, Roath
2 ButetownButetownAtlantic Wharf, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff city centre, Tiger Bay
3 CaerauCaerauCyntwell, Culverhouse Cross
4 CantonCantonCardiff city centre, Leckwith, Victoria Park
5 CathaysCathays and CastleBlackweir, Cardiff city centre, Cathays, Cathays Park, Maindy
6 Creigiau & St. FagansPentyrch* and St Fagans*Coedbychan, Capel Llanilltern, Rhydlafar
7 CyncoedCyncoedRoath Park, Lakeside
8 ElyElyCulverhouse Cross, Michaelston-super-Ely
9 FairwaterFairwaterPentrebane
10 GabalfaGabalfaMynachdy, Maindy, Heath
11 GrangetownGrangetownCardiff Bay, Cardiff city centre, Saltmead, International Sports Village
12 HeathHeathBirchgrove
13 LisvaneLisvane*
14 LlandaffLlandaffDanescourt
15 Llandaff NorthLlandaff NorthHailey Park, Lydstep Park, Mynachdy, Gabalfa
16 LlanishenLlanishen and Thornhill
17 LlanrumneyLlanrumney
18 PentwynPentwyn and Llanedeyrn
19 PentyrchPentyrch* Gwaelod-y-Garth
20 PenylanPenylan
21 PlasnewyddRoathpart of Cardiff city centre
22 Pontprennau & Old St. MellonsOld St. Mellons* and PontprennauLlanedeyrn Village
23 RadyrRadyr & Morganstown*Morganstown, Radyr
24 RhiwbinaRhiwbinaPantmawr, Rhydwaedlyd, Wenallt
25 RiversideRiverside and Pontcannapart of Cardiff city centre, Llandaff Fields, Sophia Gardens
26 RumneyRumney
27 SplottSplott and TremorfaPengam Green
28 TrowbridgeTrowbridgeSt Mellons estate, Cefn Mably, Wentloog
29 Whitchurch & TongwynlaisTongwynlais* and WhitchurchBlaengwynlais, Bwlch-y-cwm, Coedcefngarw, Coryton, Cwmnofydd, Graig-goch, Llandaff North