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Ceredigion Council to vote on switching to Single Transferable Vote for elections

A consultation on the STV voting system has been launched in Ceredigion (Pic: Ceredigion County Council)

A POTENTIAL change to the way Ceredigion councillors are elected is to be decided at a special meeting of the council later this week, with more than two-thirds of those who responded to a recent consultation in favour.

All councillors in Wales are currently elected using a simple majority system, commonly known as first past the post (FPTP), as used in general elections.

Each council will continue to use this method unless it decides to change to a system known as the Single Transferable Vote (STV) under 2021 legislation, a change that would not affect town and community council elections.

The more complex STV system differs in a number of ways, including that every single county council ward would need to be larger and multi-member, of between three and six members, with voters ranking the candidates according to their order of preference.

The potential change would also see an increase in election costs due to the impact will be in the post-poll count, estimated to be between £45,000 and £56,000.

Back in March, Ceredigion councillors backed a public consultation being held on the possible changes, asking residents for their views on adopting the alternative system.

To make the change, at least two thirds of councillors, or 26 of the 38 members, must be in favour of it.

Back in March, Aberaeron county councillor Elizabeth Evans was one of many supporting a public consultation.

“38 councillors cannot decide on the wholesale change of how we are elected without going out to the whole of Ceredigion,” said Cllr Evans, adding: “We do need to consult with the people of Ceredigion, and we would be criticised wholly if we didn’t.”

Another supporter was Catrin M S Davies, who said: “I think we have to be ready for the public to express their decision here, that is what democracy is. If we don’t open the consultation to the public – it doesn’t matter what our opinions are on STV – we are voting to decide whether we allow the public to express their opinion.

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“It will be complicated, but for the voting side it’s not complicated; the people of Ceredigion are clearly able to deal with the system.”

That consultation received 475 responses, 67 per cent supporting the STV system; 66 per cent of respondents who live in the county supporting it and 100 per cent of respondents residing outside of the county supporting it.

A special meeting of the council is now taking place on November 14, which will require the two-thirds majority to make the change; the council must then notify Welsh Ministers and the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales.

Members are to vote on whether to adopt the new system for county elections; last October, neighbouring Pembrokeshire voted against adopting STV.

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