By-election win for Labour

A COUNCIL seat in the Rhondda has been won by Labour following a by-election.

Julie Edwards of Labour was elected as councillor for Ynyshir and Wattstown on RCT Council after the vote on Thursday, December 5. She got 407 votes, with Adrian Parry of Plaid Cymru, the only other candidate, getting 331 votes.

She replaces Councillor Darren Macey, who was elected to the seat for Plaid Cymru in 2017.

Cllr Macey had to stand down after becoming historian and principal officer on the RCT Sporting Heroes project, which debarred him from serving as a councillor.

It means RCT Council consists of Labour’s 47 councillors, with Plaid Cymru’s 17, along with eight independents, two Conservatives and one Cynon Valley Party councillor.