Discussions Starting Over Forming Wrexham’s New Council

You will have all seen the results overnight, so we have a couple of video picks and some more data from overnight…

Just over half of Wrexham’s councillors are returning for another five years, with a ‘high’ turnout of 40% for Wrexham. A process now begins where various parties and individuals negotiate to create an agreement that will enable a Council Leader to emerge with enough of a power base to run the Council. We are told this has started today and could last around a week.

Our turnout figures have been finalised, along with spoilt ballot information. Overnight just the votes and electorates were available, so we have now been able to add in the ballots issues and accepted – this makes most difference in wards where there are two winners as there can be one ballot with two votes.

Cefn had 13 rejected ballots which was the highest, with Borras having zero – the lowest. Overall there were 177 ballots total rejected over whole of Wrexham.

Overall Wrexham voted in 22 new councillors last night, so for those who were keen on seeing a change in the council makeup there was some satisfaction.

One of the biggest shocks of the evening was Bob Dutton, who lost his Erddig seat after being a prominent member of Wrexham Council for a number of years. The former Chief Executive had been serving as an Independent councillor since 1999 and held a Lead Member role on the current Executive Board. However a swing to the Conservative Party saw Paul Roberts take the seat, much to disappoint of local publican Alex Jones.

The Independent candidates won the most seats in Wrexham with 25, however not enough for overall control of the council. In Wrexham there are different Independent groups to muddy the waters further. Mark Pritchard, Leader of the previous administration at Wrexham Council won with a huge majority in Esclusham, and in Overton long-standing councillor Lloyd Kenyon lost his seat to Independent John McCusker

The evening got off to a bad start for the Labour Group, which saw Rhosnesni’s Anne Evans lose her seat to Independent Mike Davies in the first result of the evening. They also failed to retain their seat in Gresford East and West and one of their Coedpoeth seats, with neither Andrew Bailey or Gareth Griffiths seeking re-election.

However the group did make three gains across the County Borough, with Adrienne Jeorrett winning Plaid Cymru’s Keith Greggory’s seat in Smithfield. There was also success in Llay for Bryan Apsley, Chirk North for Frank Hemmings and a gain from the Liberal Democrats in Maesydre for Paul Jones.

A number of familiar Labour faces retained their seats, including Ruabon’s Dana Davies, Kevin Hughes (Ponciau), Brian Cameron (Whitegate), Graham Rogers (Hermitage), Paul Blackwell (Plas Madoc), Krista Childs (Coedpoeth), Derek Wright (Cefn), Malcolm King (Wynnstay)

Overall the Labour Group remain the second largest political group in Wrexham and will return to the Guildhall with 12 seats – the same number as they had prior to yesterday’s election, but with three new faces joining them. Technically since the last election that number is different, as a large tranche of Councillors who were elected as Labour defected to Independents during the last Council. One insider told us how they felt the General Election had overshadowed the local election effort by Labour.

The Lib Dems come back to the Guildhall with the smallest number of candidates, with just Offa’s Alun Jenkins and Llay’s Rob Walsh managing to retain their seats.

One of Wrexham’s long-standing councillors Lib Dem Jim Kelly from Borras lost his seat in a surprise swing to the Conservatives, with Debbie Wallice winning the seat with 507 votes.

The party also failed to retain Maesydre and Marford & Hoseley, with Lib Dem’s Carole O’Toole and Mike Edwards stepping down from their role as councillors.

There was very good news for the Lib Dembs however, with Rob Walsh receiving a big vote of confidence from the people of Llay with 1111 votes – the largest amount for one single candidate.

Plaid Cymru’s Marc Jones took the Grosvenor seat from former Labour / switched to Independent councillor, Steve Wilson, who had served as councillor for the ward since 2012. It was also good news for Queensway’s Carrie Harper who won her seat back from Colin Powell after narrowly missing out by two votes in 2012.

There is also a fresh Plaid Cymru face joining Wrexham Council, with Gwenfair Jones winning the Gwersyllt West seat with 55% of the vote.

Plaid Cymru had previously been represented by Smithfield’s Keith Greggory and Gwersyllt West’s Arfon Jones – both did not seek re-election this time. Later Plaid Cymru said, “All Plaid candidates put everything into this and we’ll be reflecting in particular on the narrow loss in Smithfield by just 10 votes and Ruabon by 30. Fantastic effort by the team and now we go again.”

Conservative Andrew Atkinson finally won an election in Wrexham, taking the Gresford ward with a 713 vote margin. Mr Atkinson is looking to become the town’s MP in a few weeks time, and in scenes set to be repeated shortly both he and Ian Lucas were stalking the sports hall overnight. Debbie Wallice taking Borras was described as a ‘highlight’, with Mr Atkinson saying it was “a great night for Wrexham Conservatives”

Bryn Cefn went blue for the first time, with Conservative Beverley Parry Jones taking the seat from Independent and former Mayor Barbara Roxburgh There was a loss for the party, with Overton’s long standing councillor Lloyd Kenyon losing his seat to John Bernard McCusker, who took the seat with 613 votes.

There was also change in Marford and Hoseley with Conservative Russell Gilmartin winning the seat with 548 votes.

Rodney Skelland (Bronington), Hugh Jones (Rossett), Mike Morris (Holt) and Paul Rogers (Brymbo) were all re-elected.

Pant has also gained a new councillor, with David Maddocks from a ‘non specified’ party winning the vote.

Former Leader of Wrexham Council and possible new Leader Councillor Mark Pritchard was one of a handful left at the count around half two in the morning, so we grabbed a quick word with him. We asked about his views on the overall results, his personal victory after standing unopposed previously, his thoughts on Bob Dutton losing his seat – and of course being someone who has mentioned openness and transparency, why he did not respond to our Q&A!

View our quick chat below…

We also caught this strut from Mr Pritchard entering the hall earlier in the morning, who then appeared to tweak Cllr Bithell however he was aware of what he was up to…

You can check out our candidate profiles and Q&As on https://www.wrexham.com/election2017/ with our live Election 2012 Homepage here.

Full results below… click on a ward for the breakdowns with overview summary:

• ACTON – GEOFF LOWE WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 35%, WIN MARGIN: 134 VOTES.
• BORRAS PARK – DEBBIE WALLICE WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 56%, WIN MARGIN: 231 VOTES.
• BRONINGTON – RODNEY SKELLAND WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 42%, WIN MARGIN: 520 VOTES.
• BRYMBO – PAUL ROGERS WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 35%, WIN MARGIN: 100 VOTES.
• BRYN CEFN – BEVERLEY PARRY-JONES WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 35%, WIN MARGIN: 86 VOTES.
• BRYNYFFYNNON – PHIL WYNN WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 33%, WIN MARGIN: 118 VOTES.
• CARTREFLE – RONNIE PRINCE WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 38%, WIN MARGIN: 352 VOTES.
• CEFN – SONIA TYGER BENBOW-JONES AND DEREK WRIGHT WIN TURNOUT: 30%, WIN MARGIN: 5 VOTES.
• CEIRIOG VALLEY – TREVOR RAYMOND BATES WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 60%, WIN MARGIN: 417 VOTES.
• CHIRK NORTH – FRANK HEMMINGS WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 37%, WIN MARGIN: 10 VOTES.
• CHIRK SOUTH – TERRY EVANS WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 61%, WIN MARGIN: 339 VOTES.
• COEDPOETH – KRISTA CHILDS AND MICHAEL JAMES DIXON WIN TURNOUT: 32%, WIN MARGIN: 46 VOTES.
• ERDDIG – PAUL ROBERTS WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 46%, WIN MARGIN: 90 VOTES.
• GARDEN VILLAGE – ANDY WILLIAMS WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 60%, WIN MARGIN: 892 VOTES.
• GRESFORD EAST & WEST – ANDREW ATKINSON WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 55%, WIN MARGIN: 713 VOTES.
• GROSVENOR – MARC JONES WINS FOR PLAID CYMRU, TURNOUT: 31%, WIN MARGIN: 75 VOTES.
• GWENFRO – NIGEL WILLIAMS WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 32%, WIN MARGIN: 81 VOTES.
• GWERSYLLT EAST AND SOUTH – DAVID JOHN GRIFFITHS AND TINA JOANNE MANNERING WIN TURNOUT: 37%, WIN MARGIN: 23 VOTES.
• GWERSYLLT NORTH – BARRIE WARBURTON WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 35%, WIN MARGIN: 87 VOTES.
• GWERSYLLT WEST – GWENFAIR LLOYD JONES WINS FOR PLAID CYMRU, TURNOUT: 36%, WIN MARGIN: 203 VOTES.
• HERMITAGE – GRAHAM ANTHONY ROGERS WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 32%, WIN MARGIN: 240 VOTES.
• HOLT – MICHAEL GORDON MORRIS WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 38%, WIN MARGIN: 250 VOTES.
• LITTLE ACTON – WILLIAM EDWARD BALDWIN WAS UNCONTESTED AND HOLDS A SEAT FOR INDEPENDENT.
• LLAY – ROB WALSH AND BRYAN APSLEY WIN TURNOUT: 45%, WIN MARGIN: 88 VOTES.
• MAESYDRE – PAUL JONES WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 38%, WIN MARGIN: 112 VOTES.
• MARCHWIEL – JOHN PRITCHARD WAS UNCONTESTED AND HOLDS A SEAT FOR INDEPENDENT.
• MARFORD AND HOSELEY – RUSSELL GILMARTIN WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 51%, WIN MARGIN: 355 VOTES.
• MINERA – DAVID KELLY WAS UNCONTESTED AND HOLDS A SEAT FOR INDEPENDENT.
• NEW BROUGHTON – ALAN EDWARDS WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 27%, WIN MARGIN: 337 VOTES.
• OFFA – ALUN JENKINS WINS FOR WELSH LIBERAL DEMOCRATS, TURNOUT: 35%, WIN MARGIN: 103 VOTES.
• OVERTON – JOHN MCCUSKER WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 44%, WIN MARGIN: 240 VOTES.
• PANT – DAVID MADDOCKS WINS FOR NOT STATED, TURNOUT: 44%, WIN MARGIN: 7 VOTES.
• PEN-Y-CAE – JOHN PHILLIPS WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 45%, WIN MARGIN: 532 VOTES.
• PEN-Y-CAE & RUABON SOUTH – JOAN LOWE WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 41%, WIN MARGIN: 116 VOTES.
• PLAS MADOC – PAUL BLACKWELL WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 27%, WIN MARGIN: 69 VOTES.
• PONCIAU – PAUL PEMBERTON AND KEVIN HUGHES WIN TURNOUT: 42%, WIN MARGIN: 52 VOTES.
• QUEENSWAY – CARRIE HARPER WINS FOR PLAID CYMRU, TURNOUT: 27%, WIN MARGIN: 46 VOTES.
• RHOSNESNI – MIKE DAVIES WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 41%, WIN MARGIN: 79 VOTES.
• ROSSETT – HUGH JONES WINS FOR WELSH CONSERVATIVE PARTY, TURNOUT: 44%, WIN MARGIN: 746 VOTES.
• RUABON – DANA DAVIES WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 41%, WIN MARGIN: 17 VOTES.
• SMITHFIELD – ADRIENNE JEORRETT WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 27%, WIN MARGIN: 10 VOTES.
• STANSTY – DAVID BITHELL WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 55%, WIN MARGIN: 817 VOTES.
• WHITEGATE – BRIAN CAMERON WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 29%, WIN MARGIN: 239 VOTES.
• WYNNSTAY – MALCOLM KING WINS FOR WELSH LABOUR, TURNOUT: 26%, WIN MARGIN: 123 VOTES.
• ESCLUSHAM – MARK PRITCHARD WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 48%, WIN MARGIN: 692 VOTES.
• JOHNSTOWN – DAVID ANTHONY BITHELL WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 44%, WIN MARGIN: 567 VOTES.
• LLANGOLLEN RURAL – RONDO ROBERTS WINS FOR INDEPENDENT, TURNOUT: 46%, WIN MARGIN: 97 VOTES.

We built a live ticker for the video display and the top of our election results page – and as we have the data… this is the full output of it in chronological order for the evening, some bits were auto generated and some manually added:

Little Acton won by William Edward Baldwin – uncontested
Marchwiel won by John Pritchard uncontested
Minera won by David Kelly uncontested
Polling stations OPEN until 10pm
Wrexham.com arrives at the count!
POLLS HAVE CLOSED
Postal Vote Ballots Start To Be Verified
POLLS HAVE CLOSED
POLLS HAVE CLOSED
FIRST BALLOT BOX HAS ARRIVED
FIRST BALLOT BOX HAS ARRIVED
Counting underway…
First result expected around 11:15
First ballot boxes have arrived at Glyndwr
All boxes appear to have arrived
First result due
RESULT: Rhosnesni won by Mike Davies with 369 votes
Rhosnesni turnout 41%
RESULT: Gwersyllt North won by Barrie Warburton with 282 votes
RESULT: Hermitage won by Graham Anthony Rogers with 447 votes
RESULT: Garden Village won by Andy Williams with 943 votes
RESULT: Bryn Cefn won by Beverley Parry-Jones with 215 votes
RESULT: Gwersyllt West won by Gwenfair Lloyd Jones with 428 votes
RESULT: Acton won by Geoff Lowe with 364 votes
RESULT: Bronington won by Rodney Skelland with 710 votes
RESULT: Chirk South won by Terry Evans with 518 votes
RESULT: Ruabon won by Dana Davies with 242 votes
RESULT: Johnstown won by David Anthony Bithell with 827 votes
RESULT: Offa won by Alun Jenkins with 267 votes
RESULT: Stansty won by David Bithell with 877 votes
RESULT: Grosvenor won by Marc Jones with 260 votes
RESULT: New Broughton won by Alan Edwards with 544 votes
RESULT: Smithfield won by Adrienne Jeorrett with 135 votes
RESULT: Esclusham won by Mark Pritchard with 796 votes
RESULT: Holt won by Michael Gordon Morris with 601 votes
RESULT: Chirk North won by Frank Hemmings with 336 votes
RESULT: Erddig won by Paul Roberts with 228 votes
RESULT: Pen-Y-Cae won by John Phillips with 616 votes
RESULT: Plas Madoc won by Paul Blackwell with 184 votes
RESULT: Llangollen Rural won by Rondo Roberts with 326 votes
RESULT: Brynyffynnon won by Phil Wynn with 387 votes
RESULT: Gwenfro won by Nigel Williams with 170 votes
RESULT: Ponciau won by Paul Pemberton with 970 votes and Kevin Hughes with 649 votes
RESULT: Marford and Hoseley won by Russell Gilmartin with 548 votes
RESULT: Maesydre won by Paul Jones with 249 votes
RESULT: Gwersyllt East and South won by David John Griffiths with 826 votes and Tina Joanne Mannering with 531 votes
RESULT: Pant won by David Maddocks with 228 votes
RESULT: Pen-Y-Cae & Ruabon South won by Joan Lowe with 451 votes
RESULT: Rossett won by Hugh Jones with 946 votes
RESULT: Coedpoeth won by Krista Childs with 603 votes and Michael James Dixon with 426 votes
RESULT: Whitegate won by Brian Cameron with 377 votes
RESULT: Brymbo won by Paul Rogers with 547 votes
RESULT: Borras Park won by Debbie Wallice with 507 votes
RESULT: Ceiriog Valley won by Trevor Raymond Bates with 615 votes
RESULT: Overton won by John McCusker with 613 votes
RESULT: Cartrefle won by Ronnie Prince with 451 votes
RESULT: Gresford East & West won by Andrew Atkinson with 917 votes
RESULT: Cefn won by Sonia Tyger Benbow-Jones with 579 votes and Derek Wright with 577 votes
RESULT: Wynnstay won by Malcolm King with 234 votes
RESULT: Queensway won by Carrie Harper with 225 votes
RESULT: Llay won by Rob Walsh with 1111 votes and Bryan Apsley with 553 votes