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Pembrokeshire County Council

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Pembrokeshire County Council

Cyngor Sir Penfro
Coat of arms or logo
Logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Steve Alderman,
Independent
since 10 May 2024[1]
Jon Harvey,
Independent
since 10 May 2024
Will Bramble
since 31 March 2021[2]
Structure
Seats60 councillors
Political groups
  Independent (36)
  Conservative (10)
  Labour (10)
  Liberal Democrats (2)
  Plaid Cymru (2)
Length of term
5 years
Elections
First past the post
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
County Hall, Freemens Way, Haverfordwest, SA61 1TP
Website
www.pembrokeshire.gov.uk

Pembrokeshire County Council (Welsh: Cyngor Sir Penfro) is the local authority for the county of Pembrokeshire, one of the principal areas of Wales.

History

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There have been two bodies called Pembrokeshire County Council. The first existed from 1889 until 1974, and the current one was created in 1996.

Shire Hall, Haverfordwest: First county council's meeting place 1889–1974

Elected county councils were established in 1889 under the Local Government Act 1888, taking over administrative functions previously performed by unelected magistrates at each county's quarter sessions.[3] The town of Haverfordwest was a county corporate with its own quarter sessions, but was deemed too small to run its own county council functions; it was therefore included in administrative county of Pembrokeshire and administered by Pembrokeshire County Council.[4]

The first elections were held in January 1889, and the council came into its powers on 1 April 1889.[5] On that day the council held its formal meeting at the Shire Hall in Haverfordwest, the courthouse (built 1837) which had served as the meeting place of the quarter sessions which preceded the county council.[6] Henry George Allen, a Liberal, was appointed the first chairman of the council.[7]

The first incarnation of the county council was abolished in 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. From 1 April 1974 the area was split between the two new districts of Preseli and South Pembrokeshire, both of which were subordinate to the new county of Dyfed, with county-level functions passing to the new Dyfed County Council.[8]

In 1996 the councils established in 1974 were all abolished under the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994, and Pembrokeshire County Council was re-established as a unitary authority for the area.[9]

Political control

[edit]

Since the 2017 election the council has been led by a coalition of some of the independent councillors, Labour, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats, with the same coalition continuing following the 2022 election.[10]

The first election to the modern council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Independent councillors have held over half the council's seats ever since 1996:

Party in control Years
Independent 1996–present

Different groupings have formed among the independent councillors at different times, sometimes forming administrations with councillors from political parties. Between 1996 and 2017 the leader of the council came from the "Independent Political Group" (later called the "Independent Plus Political Group"). That group's numbers were reduced from 33 to 13 at the May 2017 election. Its leader Jamie Adams blamed the poor performance at that election on the IPPG's close connections to the council's discredited former chief executive.[11][12]

Leadership

[edit]

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:[13]

Councillor Party From To Notes
Eric Harries[14] Independent 1 Apr 1996 9 May 1999 Leading "Independent Political Group"
Maurice Hughes[15] Independent 20 May 1999 13 Jun 2004 Leading "Independent Political Group"
John Davies[16] Independent 29 Jun 2004 24 May 2012 Leading "Independent Plus Political Group" (IPPG)
Jamie Adams[17] Independent 24 May 2012 25 May 2017 Leading IPPG
David Simpson Independent 25 May 2017 10 May 2024
Jon Harvey[18] Independent 10 May 2024

Composition

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Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2024, the composition of the council was:[19][20]

Party Councillors
Independent 36
Conservative 10
Labour 10
Liberal Democrats 2
Plaid Cymru 2
Total 60

Of the independent councillors, 19 sit together as the "Independent Group" and the other 17 are not affiliated to any group. The leader of the council, Jon Harvey, is one of the non-affiliated independent councillors, and positions of responsibility in the council's cabinet are held by other non-affiliated independents and members of the Labour and Plaid Cymru groups.[21] The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

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See also: List of electoral wards in Pembrokeshire

Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 60 councillors, representing 59 wards. The ward of Pembroke: Monkton and St Mary South elects two councillors; all the other wards elect one councillor each.[22]

Year Seats Independent Labour Plaid Cymru Conservative Liberal Democrats Notes
1995[23] 60 41 13 3 0 3
1999 60 38 15 2 0 5
2004 60 40 12 5 0 3
2008 60 42 5 5 5 3
2012 60 42 9 5 3 1
2017 60 34 7 6 12 1
2022 60 35 10 2 11 2

Party with the most elected councillors in bold.

Premises

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The council is based at County Hall on Freemens Way in Haverfordwest.

The original county council generally held its meetings at the Shire Hall at 47 High Street, Haverfordwest.[24] In 1923 the council acquired the former Pembrokeshire and Haverfordwest Infirmary at the corner of St Thomas Green and Winch Lane, which had been built in 1872, converting it to become their main offices. The old infirmary became known as the County Offices, and remained the council's headquarters until its abolition in 1974. The building was subsequently used as an area office by Dyfed County Council. Following the re-establishment of Pembrokeshire County Council in 1996 and the opening of a new County Hall in 1999 the County Offices became surplus to requirements and so were demolished and a leisure centre built on the site, opening in 2009.[25]

When re-created in 1996 the council inherited offices from the two predecessor authorities: Cambria House in Haverfordwest from Preseli Pembrokeshire District Council and Llanion Park in Pembroke Dock from South Pembrokeshire District Council, along with the former County Offices of Dyfed County Council on St Thomas's Green in Haverfordwest. The first meeting of the new authority was held at Shire Hall, Haverfordwest, which had been the meeting place of the pre-1974 Pembrokeshire County Council.[26] Subsequent meetings were held at Cambria House. It was decided shortly after the new council's creation to build a new headquarters adjoining Cambria House. The new building was named County Hall, with the first full council meeting in the new building being held in October 1999.[27] Cambria House was demolished shortly afterwards. The new County Hall was formally opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 22 November 2001.[28]

Districts 1894–1974

[edit]

District councils subordinate to the county council were established under the Local Government Act 1894, replacing the earlier sanitary districts (except those which were municipal boroughs). The districts of Pembrokeshire from 1894 to 1974 were:[29]

Name From To Notes Successor in 1974
Cemaes Rural District 1 Apr 1934 31 Mar 1974 Created from merger of St Dogmells Rural District and Llanfyrnach Rural District. Preseli
Fishguard Urban District 1 Apr 1907 31 Mar 1934 Created from part of Haverfordwest Rural District. Abolished to become part of Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District. n/a
Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District 1 Apr 1934 31 Mar 1974 Created from merger of separate Goodwick and Fishguard urban districts. Preseli
Goodwick Urban District 1 Apr 1923 31 Mar 1934 Created from part of Haverfordwest Rural District. Abolished to become part of Fishguard and Goodwick Urban District. n/a
Haverfordwest Municipal Borough 1 Apr 1889 31 Mar 1974 Predated creation of county council. Preseli
Haverfordwest Rural District 28 Dec 1894 31 Mar 1974 Created from Haverfordwest Rural Sanitary District. Preseli
Llanfyrnach Rural District 28 Dec 1894 31 Mar 1934 Created from the part of the Newcastle Emlyn Rural Sanitary District within Pembrokeshire. Abolished to become part of Cemaes Rural District. n/a
Milford Haven Urban District 31 Dec 1894 31 Mar 1974 Created from Milford Improvement Commissioners District. Preseli
Narberth Rural District 28 Dec 1894 31 Mar 1974 Created from Narberth Rural Sanitary District. South Pembrokeshire
Narberth Urban District 1 Apr 1902 31 Mar 1974 Created from part of Narberth Rural District. South Pembrokeshire
Neyland Urban District 1 Oct 1900 31 Mar 1974 Created from part of Pembroke Rural District. Preseli
Pembroke Municipal Borough 1 Apr 1889 31 Mar 1974 Predated creation of county council. South Pembrokeshire
Pembroke Rural District 28 Dec 1894 31 Mar 1974 Created from Pembroke Rural Sanitary District. South Pembrokeshire
St Dogmells Rural District 28 Dec 1894 31 Mar 1934 Created from the part of the Cardigan Rural Sanitary District within Pembrokeshire. Abolished to become part of Cemaes Rural District. n/a
Tenby Municipal Borough 1 Apr 1889 31 Mar 1974 Predated creation of county council. South Pembrokeshire

References

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  1. ^ Sinclair, Tom (14 May 2024). "New Chairman takes the chains at Pembrokeshire County Council". Pembrokeshire Herald. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  2. ^ Coles, Jon (31 March 2021). "Pembrokeshire County Council appoints Major General as new Chief Executive". Pembrokeshire Herald. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Pembrokeshire County Council Records - Archives Hub". archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  4. ^ "Local Government Act 1888". www.legislation.gov.uk.
  5. ^ "PEMBROKESHIRE.|1889-01-25|The Pembrokeshire Herald and General Advertiser - Welsh Newspapers Online - The National Library of Wales". newspapers.library.wales. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  6. ^ "Pembrokeshire County Council". Tenby Observer. The National Library of Wales. 4 April 1889. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  7. ^ "Pembrokeshire County Council: Election of chairman &c". Tenby Observer. The National Library of Wales. 21 February 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Local Government Act 1972". www.legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  9. ^ "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 19, retrieved 4 October 2022
  10. ^ "David Simpson elected new Leader of council". The Pembrokeshire Herald. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  11. ^ "Porsche for council boss appalling, Leighton Andrews says". BBC News. 20 January 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
  12. ^ "Jamie Adams: I wouldn't change how we handled Bryn Parry-Jones situation". Western Telegraph. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  13. ^ "Council minutes". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  14. ^ Riley, Jack (13 April 2022). "Milford Haven councillor stands down after nearly 60 years". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Pembrokeshire leader loses seat". BBC News. 11 June 2004. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  16. ^ "County Council Leader wins top award". Tivyside Advertiser. 11 December 2008. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  17. ^ ""Grave concerns" over troubled Pembrokeshire Council's child safeguarding issues". Wales Online. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Jon Harvey narrowly wins Pembrokeshire County Council leadership challenge". Tenby Observer. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Conservative councillor alleged to have made slave comments withdraws from Tory party". Western Telegraph. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Pembrokeshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Your councillors by party". Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  22. ^ Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament. The County of Pembrokeshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2021 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  23. ^ "Welsh unitary councils". 2 June 2015.
  24. ^ Cadw. "Shire Hall (12110)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  25. ^ Swales Barker, Patricia (2013). Haverfordwest through time. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. p. 82. ISBN 978-1-4456-1614-8. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  26. ^ "Council minutes, 1 April 1996" (PDF). Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  27. ^ "Council minutes, 28 October 1999" (PDF). Pembrokeshire County Council. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  28. ^ "Royals open £10m county hall". BBC News. 22 November 2001. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  29. ^ "Pembrokeshire Administrative County". A Vision of Britain through Time. GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
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