Monmouthshire County Council

Monmouthshire County Council Cyngor Sir Fynwy
History
Founded	1996 (1996)
Leadership
	Peter Fox, Conservative
Chief Executive	Paul Matthews
Structure
Seats	43
Conservatives	19 / 43
Labour	12 / 43
Liberal Democrats	3 / 43
Independent	10 / 43
Elections
Last election	3 May 2012
Motto
Utrique Fidelis (Faithful to both)[1]
Website
www.monmouthshire.gov.uk

Monmouthshire County Council (or Monmouthshire Council) (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Fynwy) is the governing body for the Monmouthshire principal area — one of the unitary authorities of Wales.

The current unitary authority was created in 1996 and covers the eastern half of the historic county. As of May 2012, the council is led by Peter Fox (Conservative), with Robert Greenland (Conservative) and Phylip Hobson (Liberal Democrat) as Deputy Leaders. The Chief Executive is Paul Matthews.^[2]

History

A Monmouthshire County Council was originally formed in 1889, covering the administrative county of Monmouthshire. The council was based at Shire Hall in Newport. In 1891 Newport became a county borough and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the county council, although the council continued to be based there. The council was abolished in 1974, being absorbed into Gwent. However, a new Monmouthshire County Council was formed in 1996 covering the principal area of Monmouthshire. This council was a successor to the previous Monmouth District Council along with a small part of the former Blaenau Gwent District Council area, which themselves were created in 1974.

Until April 2012, the council's administrative headquarters were at the former Gwent County Hall at Croesyceiliog, Cwmbran — also outside its own jurisdiction in the neighbouring borough of Torfaen — which closed because of "concrete cancer". The authority decided to relocate some of its headquarters functions to offices at Coleg Gwent, Usk.^[3] In May 2010 it was reported that the council had purchased additional offices at the Wales 1 Business Park at Magor.^[4] Planning permission for a new office building at Usk, to provide the authority's central facilities, was granted in September 2011.^[5] The new county hall in Usk was opened in 2013. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Elections

Councillor Peter Fox, Conservative, Leader of the Council

Elections take place every four years. Following the election on 3 May 2012, a working arrangement was established by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups to run the authority. Peter Fox (Conservative) was appointed as Leader, with Robert Greenland (Conservative) and Phylip Hobson (Liberal Democrat) as Deputy Leaders. In the elections, the two parties won a combined total of 22 seats, giving them an overall majority of one.^[9]

The Conservatives had previously controlled the authority from the 2004 elections, when they took it from no overall control. They increased their majority in the council election of 2008.

Current composition

Historic results

Electoral districts, areas and communities

For the purposes of electing councillors, the principal area is divided into forty-two electoral divisions, each returning one councillor, except Llanelly, known as Llanelly Hill, which has two councillors. These divisions date from 2004.^[11]

The council operates a decentralised system of administration, with four area committees:

• Bryn y Cwm, covering the Abergavenny area
• Central Monmouthshire, centred on Monmouth
• Lower Wye, for the Chepstow area
• Severnside, the area around Caldicot^[12]

Although the council is described as a "unitary authority", there is in fact a second tier of government, with the entire area being divided into communities, all of which has either a town or community council.

Bryn y Cwm area

Central Monmouthshire area

Lower Wye area

Severnside

References

1. ↑ Civic Heraldry of Wales Accessed 2012-01-08
2. ↑ "Chief Executive's Unit - Organisational structure". Monmouthshire County Council. Retrieved 10 May 2012. 
3. ↑ Monmouthshire County Council press release, "This council is coming home", 12 January 2010
4. ↑ South Wales Argus, "Council buys new base in Magor", 9 May 2010
5. ↑ Free Press, Plans for new Monmouthshire council HQ in Usk are approved, 29 September 2011
6. ↑ http://www.tinternvillage.co.uk/publicservices/local-county-council-representation/
7. ↑ http://www.willmottdixongroup.co.uk/news?actv_news_news_id=262
8. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-22111508
9. ↑ Monmouthshire Free Press, Tories and Lib Dems form Monmouthshire coalition, 15 May 2012. Accessed 19 May 2012
10. ↑ Monmouthshire County Council, Election results at a glance. Accessed 19 May 2012
11. ↑ The County of Monmouthshire (Electoral Changes) Order 2002 (2002 No. 3275 (W.313))
12. ↑ Monmouthshire Council - Area Committees