Ammanford (electoral ward)

Ammanford
Ammanford
Ward
	Location in Wales
	Coordinates: 51°47′33.724″N 3°59′11.933″W / 51.79270111°N 3.98664806°W

Ammanford is an electoral ward to Carmarthenshire County Council, representing the community of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales.

Profile

According to the 2001 UK Census, the Ammanford ward had a population of 2,664^[1] of whom 2,347 were born in Wales and 1,599 were able to speak Welsh.^[1]

Prior to May 2022 the Ammanford ward covered only part of the town, namely the Iscennen and Pantyffynnon town wards. The other two town wards, Myddynfych and Wernddu, formed the Pontamman county ward. Following a boundary review, the two county wards were combined, with a two-councillor representation, to take effect from the May 2022 local elections.^[2]

Representation

The Ammanford Ward was a single-member ward until May 2022 for the purposes of Carmarthenshire County Council elections. Since 2022 it has been represented by two county councillors.

Between 1989 and 1996, Ammanford was a county ward, including the whole of Ammanford town and neighbouring Betws, electing one councillor to Dyfed County Council.^[3]

Election history

The first election to the new unitary Carmarthenshire County Council took place in 1995. Meinir Thomas, who had represented the ward on the former Dinefwr Borough Council was elected by a small majority over the Labour candidate.

Ammanford 1995 ^{[citation needed]}
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Independent	Meinir Thomas*	304
	Labour	Shireen Davies	299
Majority			5
	Independent hold		Swing

Boundary changes in 1999 saw the Ammanford ward merged with the Pantyffynnon ward to create a new ward which was named Ammanford. The two sitting councillors opposed each other and Michael Hugh Evans, who previously represented Pantyffynnon, defeated Meinir Thomas.

Ammanford 1999^{[citation needed]}
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Michael Hugh Evans*	780
	Independent	Meinir Thomas*	493
Majority			287
	Labour win (new seat)

Evans faced opposition from Plaid Cymru in 2004 but comfortably retained the seat.

Ammanford 2004^{[citation needed]}
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Michael Hugh Evans*	636
	Plaid Cymru	David Thomas	337
Majority			299
	Labour hold		Swing

In 2008, Evans's majority was significantly reduced a Plaid Cymru opponent.

Ammanford 2008^{[citation needed]}
Party		Candidate	Votes
	Labour	Michael Hugh Evans*	457
	Plaid Cymru	Deian Harries	451
Majority			6
	Labour hold		Swing

Evans stood down at the 2012 and his successor as Labour candidate was defeated by Plaid Cymru.

Ammanford 2012^{[citation needed]}
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Plaid Cymru	Deian Harries	480
	Labour	Chris Jones	455
Majority			25
Turnout				48.3
	Plaid Cymru gain from Labour		Swing

Earlier History

County Council Elections

Ammanford first became an electoral ward in the early twentieth century, having initially been part of the Betws ward at the formation of Carmarthenshire County Council. In due course two wards were created at Ammanford for county council elections and these continued to exist until Carmarthenshire was abolished in 1974.^{[citation needed]}

With the formation of Dyfed County Council, Ammanford continued to elect two councillors until the wards were merged in 1989.

When the current Carmarthenshire County Council was formed in 1995, an Ammanford ward based on the boundaries for elections similar to those in existence between 1889 and 1974 was re-established.^{[citation needed]}

District Council Elections

From 1973 until 1996, Ammanford formed an electoral ward for the purposes of elections to Dinefwr Borough Council.

References

^ ^a ^b "Ammanford Ward: Electoral Division Profile" (PDF). Carmarthenshire County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2014.
^ "Review of the Electoral Arrangements of the County of Carmarthenshire – Final Recommendations Report" (PDF). Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. October 2019. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
^ Statutory Instrument 1988 No. 2266 The County of Dyfed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1988 . Retrieved 30 July 2022.

[2014_Ammanford_ward_profile-1] "Ammanford Ward: Electoral Division Profile" (PDF). Carmarthenshire County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 August 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2014.

[LDBC_report_17-2] "Review of the Electoral Arrangements of the County of Carmarthenshire – Final Recommendations Report" (PDF). Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales. October 2019. pp. 17–18. Retrieved 28 July 2022.

[3] Statutory Instrument 1988 No. 2266 The County of Dyfed (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1988 . Retrieved 30 July 2022.

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