TWO council by-elections have taken place in Neath Port Talbot county borough following the death of one member and the resignation of a second.
The polls came less than two years after the last local council elections which were held in 2022, where the county borough saw the control of the council pass from Labour for the first time in its history to a coalition group of independents.
In the Briton Ferry East ward, the first by-election took place on Thursday, February 15, following the resignation of the town’s Labour representative Chris James.
It saw the election of Gareth Rice of Welsh Labour in his place, who took the seat with a total of 287 votes on the night, making up 52% of the overall vote.
This coincided with polls for two vacant town council positions on Briton Ferry town council, which were required because of two resignations from the local group, with candidates Gail Phillips of Cwrt Sart, and Hugh James of Shelone Wood both gaining seats.
On the same night, a separate election also took place for the Rhos electoral ward after the passing of a “valued member” of the Plaid Cymru Group, Marcia Spooner, in November 2023.
This was won by independent candidate Bob Woolford who took the seat with a total of 494 votes on the night, making up 52% of the 948 votes cast for the area.
While a date has not yet been arranged, a third by-election will also need to take place in the coming months after the death of a local councillor who was described as “the mother of the council”, Councillor Sheila Penry of Neath East.
