# Bridgend County Borough Council

Bridgend County Borough Council (Welsh: Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr) is the governing body for Bridgend County Borough, one of the principal areas of Wales.

## History

Bridgend County Borough and its council came into effect from 1 April 1996, following the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994. Bridgend County Borough Council largely replaced Ogwr Borough Council, though St Brides Major, Ewenny and Wick were transferred from Ogwr to the Vale of Glamorgan.
In November 2014 the council voted to propose a merger with the neighbouring Vale of Glamorgan Council, though this was rejected by the Welsh Government's Public Services Minister, Leighton Andrews, as not meeting the criteria to be able to proceed.

## Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since the 2022 election.
The first election to the council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been held by the following parties:
| Party in control | Years |
| Labour | 1996–2004 |
| No overall control | 2004–2012 |
| Labour | 2012–2017 |
| No overall control | 2017–2022 |
| Labour | 2022–present |

### Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Bridgend, with political leadership instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2004 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Jeff Jones | Labour | | 2004 |
| Cheryl Green | Liberal Democrats | Jun 2004 | 14 May 2008 |
| Mel Nott | Labour | 14 May 2008 | 5 Oct 2016 |
| Huw David | Labour | 5 Oct 2016 | 15 May 2024 |
| John Spanswick | Labour | 15 May 2024 | |

### Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections up to March 2024, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Labour | 27 |
| | Independent | 22 |
| | Plaid Cymru | 1 |
| | Conservative | 1 |
| Total | Total | 51 |
Thirteen of the independent councillors form the "Bridgend County Independents" group. Plaid Cymru and six of the independent councillors sit together as the "Democratic Alliance". The other three independent councillors do not belong to a group. The next election is due in 2027.

## Elections

Since 2012, elections take place every five years.
| Year | Seats | Labour | Plaid Cymru | Liberal Democrats | Conservative | Others | Notes |
| 1995 | 48 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | Labour majority controlled |
| 1999 | 54 | 41 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 5 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2004 | 54 | 22 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 11 | Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Independent coalition |
| 2008 | 54 | 27 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 9 | |
| 2012 | 54 | 39 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 10 | Labour majority controlled |
| 2017 | 54 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 13 | |
| 2022 | 51 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 21 | Labour majority controlled |
Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column.
Prior to the May 2008 elections Bridgend Council was run by a coalition of Liberal Democrat, Conservative, Plaid Cymru and Independent councillors. After the election the leadership returned to the Labour Party, led by councillor Mel Nott.
The council elections on 5 May 2017 saw Labour lose its majority control of the council with, for example, three of the four Brackla seats being taken by the Conservatives from Labour. Keith Edwards and Ross Thomas, who'd been deselected by Labour for voting against the proposed local authority merger, won as Independents in Maesteg.
In May 2022, Labour regained a majority and control of the council, though their majority was reduced following the Bridgend Central by-election on 11 August.

## Premises

The council is based at the Civic Offices on Angel Street in Bridgend, on the banks of the River Ogmore (Welsh: Afon Ogwr). The building was built in 1986 for the council's predecessor, Ogwr Borough Council.

## Electoral divisions

Prior to May 2022, the county borough was divided into 39 electoral wards.
Since the 2022 local elections the county borough has been divided into 28 electoral wards electing 51 councillors. Some communities also have their own elected council and community wards. The following table lists council wards, communities and associated community wards. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':
| Ward | County councillors | Communities | Community wards |
| Aberkenfig | 1 | Llangynwyd Lower* |
| Aberkenfig | 1 | Newcastle Higher* (part) | Aberkenfig |
| Blackmill | 1 | Ogmore Valley* (part) | Blackmill |
| Blackmill | 1 | Ogmore Valley* (part) | Evanstown |
| Brackla East and Coychurch Lower | 2 | Brackla* (part) | Brackla East |
| Brackla East and Coychurch Lower | 2 | Coychurch Lower* | |
| Brackla East Central | 1 | Brackla* (part) | Brackla East Central |
| Brackla West | 1 | Brackla* (part) | Brackla West |
| Brackla West Central | 1 | Brackla* (part) | Brackla West Central |
| Bridgend Central | 3 | Bridgend* (part) | Morfa |
| Bridgend Central | 3 | Bridgend* (part) | Newcastle |
| Bryntirion, Laleston and Merthyr Mawr | 3 | Merthyr Mawr* |
| Bryntirion, Laleston and Merthyr Mawr | 3 | Laleston* (part) | Laleston/Bryntirion |
| Caerau | 2 | Maesteg* (part) | Caerau |
| Caerau | 2 | Maesteg* (part) | Nantyffyllon |
| Cefn Glas | 2 | Laleston* (part) | Cefn Glas 1 |
| Cefn Glas | 2 | Laleston* (part) | Cefn Glas 2 |
| Coity Higher | 3 | Coity Higher* | Coity |
| Coity Higher | 3 | Coity Higher* | Litchard |
| Coity Higher | 3 | Coity Higher* | Pendre |
| Cornelly $^c$ | 2 | Cornelly* | |
| Garw Valley | 3 | Garw Valley* | Bettws |
| Garw Valley | 3 | Garw Valley* | Blaengarw |
| Garw Valley | 3 | Garw Valley* | Llangeinor |
| Garw Valley | 3 | Garw Valley* | Pontycymmer |
| Llangynwyd | 1 | Llangynwyd Middle* | |
| Maesteg East | 2 | Maesteg* (part) | Maesteg East |
| Maesteg West | 2 | Maesteg* (part) | Maesteg West |
| Nant-y-Moel | 1 | Ogmore Valley* (part) | Nant-y-Moel |
| Newton | 1 | Porthcawl Town* (part) | Newton |
| Nottage | 1 | Porthcawl Town* (part) | Nottage |
| Ogmore Vale | 1 | Ogmore Valley* (part) | Ogmore Vale |
| Oldcastle | 2 | Bridgend Town* (part) | Oldcastle |
| Pencoed and Penprysg | 3 | Coychurch Higher* | |
| Pencoed and Penprysg | 3 | Pencoed* | Felindre |
| Pencoed and Penprysg | 3 | Pencoed* | Hendre |
| Pencoed and Penprysg | 3 | Pencoed* | Penprysg |
| Pen-y-fai | 1 | Newcastle Higher* (part) | Pen-y-fai |
| Porthcawl East Central | 2 | Porthcawl Town* (part) | East Central |
| Porthcawl West Central | 1 | Porthcawl Town* (part) | West Central |
| Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr | 3 | Cefn Cribwr* | |
| Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr | 3 | Pyle* | |
| Rest Bay | 1 | Porthcawl Town* (part) | Rest Bay |
| St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre | 3 | St Bride's Minor* | Bryncethin |
| St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre | 3 | St Bride's Minor* | Bryncoch |
| St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre | 3 | St Bride's Minor* | Sarn |
| St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre | 3 | Ynysawdre* | Tondu |
| St Bride's Minor and Ynysawdre | 3 | Ynysawdre* | Brynmenyn |
* = Communities which elect a community council

## Arms

Coat of arms of Bridgend County Borough Council :
* NotesOriginally granted to Ogwr Borough Council on 21 December 1977.
* CrestOn a wreath Or and Gules a demi dragon Gules gorged with a steel collar pendent therefrom a steel chain Proper holding in the dexter claw an anchor Azure and resting the sinister claw on a cogwheel Sable.
* EscutcheonPer chevron raguly per pale Or and Gules and Argent in chief on the dexter a lozenge Sable and on the sinister a garb Or and in base three barrulets wavy Azure thereon a dolphin naiant embowed Proper.
* SupportersOn the dexter a dragon Gules gorged with a mural crown Or attached thereto a steel chain reflexed over the back Proper attached to a triangular harrow Or supported by the dexter claw and on the sinister a sea horse Argent the tail Vert gorged with a mural crown Or attached thereto a steel chain reflexed over the back Proper attached to an anchor Sable supported by the sinister webbed foot.
* MottoOnward With Confidence