Powys County Council () is the local authority for Powys, one of the principal areas of Wales. The council is based at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells.
History The county of Powys was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the area of the three administrative counties of Brecknockshire, Montgomeryshire, and Radnorshire, which were abolished at the same time. From 1974 until 1996 there were two principal tiers of local government, with Powys County Council as the upper tier authority and three district councils below it, each of which corresponded to one of the pre-1974 counties: Brecknock Borough Council, Montgomeryshire District Council, and Radnorshire District Council.
The three districts were abolished under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, with Powys County Council becoming a unitary authority with effect from 1 April 1996, taking on the functions formerly performed by the district councils.
Political control The council has been under no overall control since 2017. Following the 2022 election a Liberal Democrat and Labour coalition formed to take control of the council. The Green councillor later joined the coalition.
The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows: (Put "Powys" in search box to see specific results.)
Upper-tier county council Party in controlYears 1974–1996
Unitary authority Party in controlYears 1996–2017 2017–present
Leadership The leaders of the council since 2002 (formally called the chairman of the board prior to 2011) have been:
Councillor Party From To Michael Jones 2002 17 May 2012 David Jones 17 May 2012 10 Jan 2014 Barry Thomas 10 Jan 2014 May 2017 Rosemarie Harris 18 May 2017 May 2022 James Gibson-Watt 26 May 2022 15 May 2025 Jake Berriman 15 May 2025
Composition Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2026, the composition of the council was:
Of the independent councillors, thirteen form the 'Powys Independents' group and the other one is not affiliated to any group. The next election is due in 2027.
Elections Elections are held every five years. Since the last ward boundary changes in 2022, 68 councillors have been elected from 60 wards. Prior to 2012, elections were generally held every four years.
YearSeatsIndependentLabourLiberal DemocratsConservativePlaid CymruGreen PartyNotes19958462108310Independent majority control19997357610000New ward boundaries. Independent majority control20047354415000Independent majority control20087345415900Independent majority control20127348691000Independent majority control201773307131921Independent / Conservative coalition202268179241431New ward boundaries. Liberal Democrats / Labour coalition Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in Notes column.
Cabinet 2022–present PositionHolderPolitical groupWardLeader of the CouncilJake Berriman[Llandrindod North]Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for a Fairer PowysMatthew DorranceBrecon WestCabinet Member for a More Prosperous PowysGlyn PrestonLlanidloesCabinet Member for Finance and Corporate TransformationDavid ThomasTawe UchafCabinet Member for a Caring PowysPete RobertsLlandrindod SouthCabinet Member for a Safer PowysRichard ChurchWelshpool CastleCabinet Member for a Learning PowysJames Gibson-WattGlasburyCabinet Member for a Greener PowysJackie CharltonLlangattock and LlangynidrCabinet Members for Future GenerationsSandra DaviesCwm-twrchYnyscedwynCabinet Member for a Customers, Digital, and CommunitiesRaiff DevlinTalybont
Premises The council has its headquarters at County Hall on Spa Road East in Llandrindod Wells, which opened in 1990. The site was formerly occupied by the Pump House Hotel, which had been the meeting place of the former Radnorshire County Council from 1889 and then served as both the offices and meeting place of Powys County Council following the local government reorganisation in 1974. The old building was found to be structurally unstable in the late 1980s and it was decided to build a new county hall on the same site.
The council also has three area offices, being one inherited from each of the three former districts abolished in 1996: Neuadd Brycheiniog in Brecon, built in the 1980s as the headquarters for Brecknock Borough Council. The Gwalia in Llandrindod Wells, built in 1900 as the Gwalia Hotel, becoming offices of Radnorshire County Council 1950–1974 then Radnorshire District Council 1974–1996. Park Office in Newtown, built in 1968 as Newtown Town Hall, being the shared headquarters of Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Urban District and Newtown and Llanidloes Rural District Councils, then used as an area office for Montgomeryshire District Council 1974–1996 The former headquarters of Montgomeryshire District Council at Neuadd Maldwyn in Welshpool also served as an area office for Powys County Council until 2019 when it was sold.
Electoral wards
Powys is administered by Powys County Council and has 68 elected councillors representing 60 council wards. Although it is a unitary authority, the highway functions of the council, along with the allocation of small grants, are delegated to the three Shire Committees. Brecknockshire has 24 councillors, Radnorshire has 15 and Montgomeryshire has 34.
Local elections take place every five years. Some of the electoral wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. There are 112 communities in the principal area. Nearly all communities have a local community council.
The following table lists the council wards, the political group representing them, and the communities they cover. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*': WardPolitical groupCouncillorCommunitiesAber-craf and YstradgynlaisHuw WilliamsYstradgynlais* (part)Sarah WilliamsBanwy, Llanfihangel and LlanwddynBryn DaviesBanwy* Llanfihangel-yng-Ngwynfa* Llangynog* Llanwddyn* Pen-y-Bont-Fawr*Berriew and Castle CaereinionAdrian JonesBerriew* Castle Caereinion*Brecon EastLiz RijnenbergBrecon* (part)Chris WalshBrecon WestMatthew DorranceBrecon* (part)David MeredithBronllys and Felin-fachThomas ColbertBronllys* Erwood* Felinfach*BuilthJeremy PughBuilth Wells*CaerswsLes GeorgeCaersws* Carno*ChurchstokeDanny BebbChurchstoke*Crickhowell with Cwmdu and TretowerClaire Hall (since November 23 by-election)Crickhowell* Vale of Grwyney* Cwmdu and District* (part)Chloe Masefield (since November 23 by-election)Cwm-twrchSandra DaviesYstradgynlais* (part)Disserth and Trecoed with NewbridgeLittle BrighouseDisserth and Trecoed* Llanyre* (part)DolforwynGareth PughAbermule with Llandyssil* Bettws*Forden and MontgomeryJeremy ThorpForden* (part) Montgomery*GlantwymynElwyn VaughanCadfarch* Glantwymyn*GlasburyJames Gibson-WattClyro* Glasbury*GuilsfieldIan HarrisonGuilsfield*GwernyfedWilliam LloydGwernyfed* Llanigon*HayGareth RatcliffeHay*Ithon ValleyGeoff Morgan (Elected as an independent, before defecting to Reform in March 2025)Llanbadarn Fawr* Llanbadarn Fynydd Llanbister* Llanddewi Ystradenny*KerryBenjamin BreezeKerry* (part)Knighton with BeguildyCorinna Kenyon-WadeBeguildy* Knighton*Ange WilliamsLlanafanfawr with GarthBryan DaviesCilmeri* Duhonw* Llanafan-fawr* Llanwrthwl* Treflys* (part)LlanbrynmairGary MitchellLlanbrynmair* Trefeglwys*Llandinam with DolforKarl Lewis(Elected as a Welsh Conservative, before defecting to Reform in March 2025)Kerry* (part) Llandinam* Mochdre*Llandrindod NorthJake BerrimanLlandrindod Wells* (part)Llandrindod SouthJosie EwingLlandrindod Wells* (part)Pete RobertsLlandrinioLucy RobertsBausley with Criggion* Llandrinio*LlandysilioArwel JonesCarreghofa* Llandysilio*LlanelweddGareth Emlyn JonesAberedw* Glascwm* Llanelwedd* Painscastle*Llanfair Caereinion and LlanerfylGareth JonesLlanerfyl* Llanfair Caereinion*LlanfyllinPeter LewisLlanfyllin*Llangattock and LlangynidrJackie CharltonLlangattock* Llangynidr*Llangors with BwlchSian CoxLlangors* Cwmdu and District* (part)Llangunllo with NortonDeb EdwardsLlanfihangel Rhydithon* Llangunllo* Presteigne* (part) Whitton*Llangyniew and MeifodJonathan WilkinsonLlangyniew* Meifod*LlanidloesGareth MorganLlangurig* Llanidloes* Llanidloes Without*Glyn PrestonLlanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant and LlansilinAled DaviesLlangedwyn* Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant* Llansilin*LlansantffraidGwynfor ThomasLlanfechain* Llansantffraid*Llanwrtyd WellsPeter JamesLlangamarch* Llanwrtyd Wells* Treflys* (part)Llanyre with NantmelClaire Jonson-Wood (Elected as an Independent, before defecting to Reform in March 2025)Abbeycwmhir* Llanyre* (part) Nantmel* St. Harmon*MachynllethAlwyn Evans (Since 9 October 2024 by-election)Machynlleth*Maescar and LlywelEdwin RoderickCray* Llywel* Maescar*Newtown Central and SouthKelly HealyNewtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)David SelbyNewtown EastJoy JonesNewtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)Newtown NorthAdam KennerleyNewtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)Newtown WestPeter LewingtonNewtown and Llanllwchaiarn* (part)Old RadnorEdward JonesGladestry* New Radnor* Old Radnor*PresteigneBeverley BaynhamPresteigne* (part)RhayaderAngela DaviesRhayader*RhiwcynonHeulwen HulmeAberhafesp* Dwyriw* Manafon* Tregynon*TalgarthWilliam PowellTalgarth*Talybont-on-UskRaiff Devlin (since November 23 by-election)Glyn Tarell* Llanfrynach* Talybont-on-Usk*Tawe UchafDavid ThomasTawe Uchaf* Ystradfellte*Trelystan and TrewernAmanda JennerForden* (part) Trewern*Welshpool CastleRichard ChurchWelshpool* (part)Welshpool GungrogCarol RobinsonWelshpool* (part)Welshpool LlanerchyddolGraham BreezeWelshpool* (part)YnyscedwynSusan McNicholasYstradgynlais* (part)Yscir with Honddu Isaf and LlanddewIain McIntosh (Elected as a Welsh Conservative, before defecting to Reform in March 2025)Honddu Isaf* Llanddew* Merthyr Cynog* Trallong* Yscir*
External links Powys County Council
References