Two seats won by drawing lots in day of drama
ONLY Gwynedd council will have one party in overall charge after no single party was able to form an administration in the remaining five local authorities across North Wales.
It remains to be seen which groups will run the other counties, with coalitions now likely in Anglesey, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham after Thursday’s election.
There was plenty of high tension at the Gwynedd and Denbighshire counts with two results having to be decided by a lottery.
After the vote for Hendre ward in Bangor finished in a tie, the returning officer had to resort to a draw to pick a winner, with independent Richard Hughes beating John Wynn Jones of Plaid Cymru.
In Llangollen, independent candidates Mel Mile and sitting councillor Stuart Davies drew level on 657 votes, with Mr Mile winning after the result was decided by picking a name out of a ballot box.
Mr Davies was pleased the person he had lost to was his best friend. “This gives me more time to go sailing,” he said. “I am delighted Mel, who was my best man, won. There could not be a nicer man to lose to than Mel and I wish him the best.”
Labour remains the largest party in Flintshire, Plaid Cymru lead the way on Anglesey, but independents formed the biggest groups on Wrexham and Conwy councils.
The Conservatives emerged as the biggest party in Denbighshire with 16 seats, and also made advances in Wrexham where they went from five seats to nine.
But the party will be disappointed not to have done better in Flintshire where it lost one councillor.
There were high hopes among Tory activists that they would pick up seats in Flintshire, where the party is targeting the Delyn and Alyn and Deeside constituencies in next month’s General Election.
The Conservatives played down their results as the party looks to convert its gains in the local election into seats at Westminster.
A spokesperson for the party said: “We have had some encouraging results in North Wales and great success elsewhere.
“We take nothing for granted. We cannot assume the council results will be replicated at the General Election so if people want stable and strong leadership through Brexit they have to vote for Theresa May and her Welsh Conservative team on June 8.”
After First Minister and Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones saw his party lose control of Bridgend, the area he represents in the Assembly, he said: “Welsh Labour candidates and activists can be incredibly proud of themselves today – they fought another tough election, and once again defied the odds.
“The Tories had been briefing that they’d be walking into power right across Wales this morning – that simply has not happened.
“People realise that only Welsh Labour will stand up for Wales and we thank them once again for that trust.”
There was no Liberal Democrat breakthrough in North Wales, but Rob Walsh defended his seat for the party in Llay where he got 1,111 votes – just 29 short of what his party got in last year’s Assembly election in the Wrexham constituency.
He said: “I am delighted to be returned as councillor with an increased majority. I cannot thank the people of Llay enough for their support. However, it was a disappointing night for the Lib Dems in Wrexham. We had many candidates standing for the first time who worked incredibly hard and I am so proud of them.
“Perhaps these elections came just a fraction too soon for some.”
Cllr Walsh added: “The key trend I did notice was the Conservatives polled well, even in wards they didn’t win. It has been a difficult past six years for the Liberal Democrats but I am confident the party will turn a corner in North Wales before very long.”