# Carmarthen Town North

Carmarthen Town North was an electoral ward, representing part of the community of Carmarthen, Carmarthenshire, Wales.

## Profile

In 2014, the Carmarthen Town North electoral ward had an electorate of 3,984. The total population was 5,151, of whom 77.1% were born in Wales. The 2011 census indicated that 37.4% of the population were able to speak Welsh.

## History

Carmarthen Town North was an electoral ward since the 1937. It was previously known as Carmarthen Town No.1 Ward. It became a two-member electoral ward for the purposes of elections to Carmarthenshire County Council. The corresponding North ward elects seven members to Carmarthen Town Council.
From 1973 until 1996 it was a single-member ward for the purposes of elections to Dyfed County Council and a four-member ward for elections to Carmarthen District Council.
From 1937 until 1973 it was a single-member ward for the purposes of elections to the previous Carmarthenshire County Council.
Following a boundary review by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales, Carmarthen Town North was merged with Carmarthen Town South to be called Carmarthen Town North and South, effective from the May 2022 local elections. The new ward saw an overall reduction in councillors from four to three.

## Carmarthenshire County Council elections
### 1995

In 1995, Ken Maynard, a Labour member of Dyfed County Council since 1985 and David Merriman, an Independent member of Carmarthen District Council since 1976 were elected as the ward's first representatives on the new Carmarthenshire County Council.
Carmarthen Town North 1995 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Kenneth Bryan Maynard+ | 1,431 | | |
| Independent | David Howell Merriman* | 1,117 | | |
| Labour | Douglas Edmund Ynyr Richards Rose | 849 | | |
| Conservative | Jane Ann Jones | 279 | | |
| Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) | Labour win (new seat) |
| Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |

### 1999

In 1999, both sitting members were re-elected but were closely challenged by Plaid Cymru candidate Llyr Huws Griffiths.
Carmarthen Town North 1999 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Labour | Kenneth Bryan Maynard* | 1,014 |
| Independent | David Howell Merriman* | 979 |
| Plaid Cymru | Llyr Hughes Griffiths | 965 |
| Labour | Richard Evans | 658 |
| Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing |

### 2004

At the 2004 election, Ken Maynard, a county councillor since 1985 stood down and David Merriman, a district and county councillor since 1976 sought (unsuccessfully) to be elected for the neighbouring Carmarthen Town West ward. Both seats were captured for the first time by Plaid Cymru.
Carmarthen Town North 2004 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Plaid Cymru | Peter Hughes Griffiths | 767 |
| Plaid Cymru | Jeffrey Thomas | 584 |
| Labour | Michael Stewart Elias | 562 |
| Labour | Richard Evans | 491 |
| Independent | Jeremy John | 360 |
| Independent | Kevin Davies | 214 |
| Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing |
| Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Swing |

### 2008

Plaid Cymru held both seats in 2008 Carmarthenshire County Council election, with Gareth O. Jones replacing Jeff Thomas who stood down.
Carmarthen Town North 2008 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes |
| Plaid Cymru | Peter Hughes Griffiths* | 1,058 |
| Plaid Cymru | Gareth Owen Jones | 740 |
| Labour | Douglas Edmund Ynyr Richards Rose | 462 |
| Independent | David Neil Lewis | 461 |
| Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing |
| Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing |

### 2012

Plaid Cymru held both seats in 2012 with the sitting members again returned.
Carmarthen Town North 2012 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Peter Hughes Griffiths* | 824 | |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gareth Owen Jones* | 657 | |
| | Independent | Michael Stewart Elias | 501 | |
| | Labour | Douglas Edmund Ynyr Richards Rose | 480 | |
| | Independent | Paschal Haughey | 201 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.8 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### 2017

At the May 2017 elections Labour's Ken Lloyd, a Carmarthen Town councillor, captured one of the Plaid Cymru seats.
Carmarthen Town North 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Kenneth Lloyd | 805 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Peter Hughes Griffiths* | 765 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gareth Owen Jones* | 581 |
| | Independent | Les Clark | 489 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | |
| | Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Labour gain from Plaid Cymru | Swing |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing |