TODAY, we begin our profiles of each Gwent council area with a look at Newport. AILSA CHALK examines the current council make-up and some of the burning issues in the city.
For the past four years, Newport city council has been led by a Conservative/Liberal Democrat administration.
Prior to the 2008 election, the city was a Labour stronghold and next month’s elections will see Labour candidates battling to get it back.
Newport City Council came into being in 2002 when the town was made a city as part of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Before then it was Newport County Borough Council, which came into existence in 1974, consisting of the former County Borough of Newport, much of Caerleon Urban District and Magor and St Mellons Rural District.
Labour won its first majority in the constituency in 1995 and held it in 1999 and 2004.
In 2008, Labour’s representation on the council fell from 27 seats to 19 in the May elections and despite gaining a further three seats in a June by-election, their hold had weakened by five seats.
The Conservatives gained five seats from 12 to 17 with the Liberal Democrats gaining three seats in the May election up from three to six and a further three in the June by-election bringing their total to nine. Plaid Cymru and the Independents held on to one seat each.
Since the last election, the council has suffered the loss of two councillors, Les Knight and Ken Powell, who both died last year, leaving vacant seats in the Allt-yr-yn and Alway wards.
Charles Ferris, who represented Caerleon for the past four years, is standing as a candidate for Allt-yr-yn next month. There are also several councillors who are not standing for re-election ; Simon Lane in Langstone, Bill Langsford in Malpas, John Fortey in Ringland, Andrew Cooksey in Rogerstone and Michael Brunnock in the Tredegar Park ward.
With a population of around 137,000, Newport has been hard hit by job losses at Llanwern steelworks and the collapse of the original Friars Walk city centre regeneration scheme.
Over the past few years the council has battled to get people back into the city centre, hindered by the closure of many shops, but the reintroduction of buses to High Street, the regeneration of Newport Market and the city centre as a whole is helping change the tide.
Plans for the new scheme in conjunction with developer Queensberry were lodged with the council last month and department store giant Debenhams signed up as anchor store.
University of Wales, Newport’s City of Newport campus is another of the projects aimed at bringing new people into the city.
One of the burning topics at this election will be where the city will create a permanent Gipsy and traveller site.
Newport’s election will see 140 candidates standing for 50 seats across 20 wards.
*ON Monday, we profile Blaenau Gwent and list its candidates for election.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel