Torfaen County Borough Council () is the local authority for the county borough of Torfaen, one of the principal areas of Wales.
History The borough council was created in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972 as a lower-tier district council with borough status. Gwent County Council provided county-level services for the area. The county council was abolished in 1996 and Torfaen became a principal area with county borough status, with the council taking over the functions previously performed by the county council.
Borough status allows Torfaen to give the chair of the council the title of mayor. However, the council discontinued the role of mayor in 2018. A presiding member role has been created instead to chair meetings.
In June 2024 the council agreed to share a chief executive with neighbouring Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council. Torfaen's existing chief executive, Stephen Vickers, was subsequently appointed to the role of joint chief executive for the two councils from January 2025.
Political control The council has been under Labour majority control since 2012.
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 "Torfaen" in search box to see specific results.)
Lower-tier borough Party in controlYears 1974–1996
County borough Party in controlYears 1996–2008 2008–2012 2012–present
Leadership The leaders of the council since have been:
Councillor Party From To Brian Smith 2004 Bob Wellington 2004 31 Dec 2016 Anthony Hunt 1 Jan 2017
Composition Following the 2022 election, by-elections in February 2023 and 2025, and changes of allegiance in April 2023 and August 2024, the composition of the council was:
Party Councillors 28 8 4Total40
Of the independent councillors, five sit together as the 'Independent Group', and the other three sit together as the 'Torfaen Independent Group'. The next election is due in 2027.
Elections
+Summary of the council composition after council elections:YearSeatsLabourIndependentConservativeLiberal DemocratsPlaid CymruControl of council 199544 41 1 1 1 0 Labour majority control 199944 39 3 1 1 0 Labour majority control 200444 34 7 1 2 0 Labour majority control. New ward boundaries. 200844 18 16 5 2 3Labour minority led. 201244 30 8 4 0 2 Labour majority control 201744 29 11 4 0 0 Labour majority control 202240 30 10 0 0 0 Labour majority control. New ward boundaries.
Premises The council is based at the Civic Centre on Hanbury Road in Pontypool, comprising Pontypool Town Hall, built in 1856, and a large extension to it which was built in 1991. Between 1996 and 2012, the council also used the six-storey former Gwent County Hall at Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran, sharing the building with Monmouthshire County Council. County Hall closed because of "concrete cancer" and was later demolished, with the council consolidating its offices at the Civic Centre in Pontypool.
Mayoralty The roles of mayor and deputy mayor were removed from the council in May 2018 as part of the 2018/19 budget. Instead, the council created the post of Presiding Member and Deputy Presiding Member to chair council meetings. From May 2018, the roles and functions undertaken by a mayor have been undertaken by the leader of the council and cabinet members.
Past Mayors The mayors of Torfaen from 1974 until the post's abolition in 2018 were:
1974–1974: G M Day 1974–1975: D B Richards 1975–1976: M L Lee 1976–1977: D W Puddle 1977–1978: G S R Powell 1978–1979: S E A James 1979–1980: A J Davies 1980–1981: G S Evans 1981–1982: K Morgan 1982–1983: P Roberts 1983–1984: G I Davies 1984–1985: C Little 1985–1986: H J Rosser 1986–1986: C G Thomas 1986–1988: D J Lloyd 1988–1989: W M Howell 1989–1990: B J Cunningham 1990–1991: S Richards 1991–1992: D J Rex 1992–1993: T Davies 1993–1994: F H Bacon 1994–1995: M H Morgan 1995–1996: D Miller 1996–1997: S Smith 1997–1998: S J Brooks 1998–1999: K Edmunds 1999–2000: B I Ryan 2000–2001: G R Clark 2001–2002: C Thomas 2002–2003: Jack Everson 2003–2004: Doug Davies 2004–2005: Yvonne Warren 2005–2006: Lyndon Irwin 2006–2007: Mary Barnett 2007–2008: Bill King 2008–2009: Nye James 2009–2010: Bob Jones 2010–2011: Tom Huish 2011–2012: Philip Seabourne 2012–2013: Wayne Tomlinson 2013–2014: Neil Mason 2014–2015: Mandy Owen 2015–2016: Giles Davies 2016–2017: Veronica Crick 2017–2018: Jessica Powell
Electoral divisions
The county borough is divided into 20 electoral wards, returning 40 councillors. There are 6 elected community councils in the region. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':
WardCommunitiesOther geographic areasAbersychanAbersychanVarteg, Cwmavon, Cwmffrwd, Talywain, The British, Pentwyn, Garndiffaith, BlaenavonBlaenavon Town*Coed Cae, Elgam, Forge Side, Garn-y-erwBrynwernPontymoile (Brynwern ward)Coed EvaFairwater (Coed Eva ward)Croesyceiliog NorthCroesyceiliog & Llanyrafon* (Croesyceiliog North ward)Croesyceiliog SouthCroesyceiliog & Llanyrafon* (Croesyceiliog South ward)CwmynyscoyPontymoile (Cwmynyscoy ward)Blaendare, Upper Race FairwaterFairwater (Fairwater and Oaksford ward)Ty CanolGreenmeadowFairwater (Greenmeadow ward)LlantarnamLlantarnam Cwmbran Central* (Southville ward)Croes-y-mwyalach, Oakfield, Old Cwmbran Llanyrafon NorthLlanyrafon (Llanyrafon North ward)Llanyrafon SouthPonthir* Llanyrafon (Llanyrafon South ward)Llanfrechfa New InnNew InnCwmoody, SluvadPantegPantegGriffithstown, Sebastopol PontnewyddPontnewydd Cwmbran Central* (Northville ward)Pontrhydyrun, Lowland, NorthvillePontnewynyddPen Tranch (Pontnewynydd ward)CwmffrwdoerPontypoolPontymoile*SnatchwoodPen Tranch (Snatchwood ward)St. Cadocs and PenygarnSt DialsCwmbran Central* (St. Dials ward)TrevethinTrevethin (Trevethin ward)Two LocksCwmbran Central* (Two Locks ward) HenllysHollybushUpper CwmbranUpper CwmbranThornhill, West Pontnewydd WainfelinPen Tranch (Wainfelin ward)Tranch, Pantygasseg
References
External links Torfaen County Borough Council