Reform UK left empty-handed as independents win council by-election seats
Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter
Two independent candidates have won council seats in a by-election in which Reform UK was the only party to stand candidates.
Independent Giles Davies, who is already a Torfaen Borough Councillor for Abersychan, topped the poll to fill one of two vacancies on Pontypool Community Council.
Cllr Davies was previously a Labour member of the community council and resigned from its ruling group on the borough council in 2023 in a row over changes to the frequency of rubbish collections.
He received 224 votes to win one of two seats to represent the Abersychan and Cwmavon ward on the community council. The second seat was one by independent candidate Lloyd Hughes who won 155 votes.
He was previously a member of the Restore Britain party, founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe, from March to August this year.
The by-election was called after the ward’s former Labour councillors, married couple Jules and Bob Rogers, were automatically removed in August after failing to attend any meetings for six months.
Labour remains the largest party on Pontypool Community Council with 14 members while Reform has three and the Conservatives two.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Get more trusted Welsh news
Choose Nation.Cymru as a preferred source in Google News to see more of our journalism.
