6 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Conservatives win Caerwent Community Council by-election
The vacancy on Caerwent Community Council was created as the town's Conservative county councillor, Phil Murphy, had resigned his seat on the local voluntary council though he remains its representative on Monmouthshire County Council.
Ed Sullivan, who was listed as a 'Local Conservative' on the ballot paper won the Caerwent seat with 134 votes. Reform UK candidate James David Wright received just 68 votes.
Mr Sullivan said: 'Caerwent is my home, and I care about our village. I stood to give residents a strong voice on local issues like road safety, services, and village upkeep.
'I look forward to working with fellow councillors and the community to make real progress.'
The election to the community council, which isn't run on party political lines, was the first in which the Conservatives and Reform have gone head to head in Monmouthshire and the victory welcomed by Councillor Richard John who leads the Tory group at County Hall.
He said: 'Winning two thirds of the vote is a great victory for our hardworking Conservative team. I congratulate Ed. He will make an excellent representative for his home village of Caerwent.'
Cllr John claimed the win 'confirmed' the Conservatives as the local challengers to Labour, which leads the county council, but which isn't represented on Caerwent Community Council.
A by-election to Monmouth Town Council is taking place on Thursday, July 24 where Xavier John Pierre Turner is the Local Conservatives candidate and Robert James Andrew Kavanagh is standing for Reform UK, and Jim Lin Jenkins-Jones an independent candidate.
By-elections are also due to take place to Portskewett Community Council, where the Tories and Reform will go head to head, while both parties will also contest the Goetre Community Council election alongside two unaffiliated candidates.
Carwent Community Council Caerwent ward by-election result
Edward William Saville (Local Conservatives) 134
James David Wright (Reform UK) 68
Spoilt: 8
Turnout: 34 per cent.
