# 2017 Denbighshire County Council election

The 2017 Denbighshire County Council election took place in Denbighshire, Wales, on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Denbighshire Council. This was the same day as other 2017 United Kingdom local elections. The previous elections took place in 2012 and the next all-council elections took place in 2022.

## Background

Though the Labour Party had ended up as the largest group, following the previous elections in 2012, they had chosen not to lead the council. The leading coalition of Conservatives, Plaid Cymru and Independents were faced with making big cost savings and there were battles over potential closure of rural schools, as well as a proposed merger between Denbighshire and Conwy county councils.
Contests took place in all except three of the 30 electoral wards.

## Results
### Overview

The Conservatives became the largest group on the council again, after taking seats largely from the Labour Party.
Denbighshire County Council election 2017 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 16 | 9 | 1 | +8 | 34.0 | 31.6 | 9,797 | +4.4 |
| Labour | 13 | 1 | 7 | -6 | 27.6 | 21.9 | 6,786 | -7.3 |
| Independent | 8 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 17.0 | 26.4 | 8,181 | +1.0 |
| Plaid Cymru | 9 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 19.1 | 12.8 | 3,959 | +1.3 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.1 | 6.3 | 1,964 | +1.3 |
| Green | 0 | | | 0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 263 | -0.2 |
| Socialist Labour | 0 | | | 0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 92 | -0.1 |
| UKIP | 0 | | | 0 | 0.0 | N/A | 0 | -0.3 |

## Ward results

* = denotes councillor elected to this ward at the 2012 elections
(a) Election Centre/Andrew Teale source also compares the percentage vote of the lead candidate for each party in the ward
(b) Denbighshire Council results per ward also give the % turnout and numbers of registered electors

### Bodelwyddan (one seat)

Bodelwyddan 2017$^{(a)}$$^{(b)}$ :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Mainon | 244 | 40.9 | +26.9 |
| | Labour | Jo Hall | 150 | 25.1 | −12.0 |
| | Independent | Raymond Beech | 146 | 24.5 | −24.4 |
| | Plaid Cymru | David Wyatt | 57 | 9.5 | +9.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 94 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,592 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Corwen (one seat)

Corwen 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Plaid Cymru | Huw Jones * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,852 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing |

### Denbigh Central (one seat)

Denbigh Central 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwyneth Kensler * | 378 | 70.3 |
| | Independent | Paul Smith | 160 | 29.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 218 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,560 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Denbigh Lower (two seats)

Denbigh Lower 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Mark Young | 936 | 47.4 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Rhys Thomas | 730 | 37.0 |
| | Independent | Roy Tickle | 554 | |
| | Conservative | Mari Jackson-Jones | 309 | 15.6 |
| | Conservative | Lara Pritchard | 308 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 45.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,555 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Swing | |

### Denbigh Upper/Henllan (two seats)

Denbigh Upper/Henllan 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Geraint Lloyd-Williams * | 317 | 33.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Glenn Swingler | 261 | 27.4 |
| | Conservative | John Bellis | 244 | 25.6 |
| | Labour | Gillian Audley | 198 | |
| | Conservative | Paul Smith | 176 | |
| | Independent | Keith Stevens | 132 | 13.8 |
| | Independent | Richard Crowther | 87 | |
| | Independent | Colin Hughes * | 87 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,349 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Plaid Cymru gain from Labour | Swing | |
Colin Hughes had been elected for Labour in 2012.

### Dyserth (one seat)

Dyserth 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | David Williams | 412 | 62.0 |
| | Conservative | Peter Owen * | 156 | 23.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Thomas | 97 | 14.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 256 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 35.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,909 | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | |

### Efenechtyd (one seat)

Efenechtyd 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Eryl Williams * | 407 | 53.2 |
| | Independent | Sharon Newell | 358 | 46.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 57.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,339 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Llanarmon-Yn-Lal/Llandelga (one seat)

Llanarmon-Yn-Lal/Llandelga 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Martyn Holland * | 884 | 85.5 | +35.3 |
| | Socialist Labour | Robert English | 92 | 8.9 | −1.8 |
| | Independent | Robert Barton | 58 | 5.6 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 792 | | +550 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 52.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,016 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/Llangynhafal (one seat)

Llanbedr Dyffryn Clwyd/Llangynhafal 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Conservative | Huw Williams * | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,188 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing |

### Llandrillo (one seat)

Llandrillo 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Plaid Cymru | Rhodri ap Gwynfor | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 956 |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing |

### Llandyrnog (one seat)

Llandyrnog 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Thomas Parry * | 655 | 74.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Williams | 226 | 25.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 429 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,718 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd Gwyddelwern (one seat)

Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd Gwyddelwern 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Hugh Evans * | 725 | 79.5 |
| | Conservative | Barbara Hughes | 187 | 20.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 51.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,807 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Llangollen (two seats)

Llangollen 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Graham Timms | 659 | 41.7 |
| | Independent | Thomas Mile | 658 | 41.6 |
| | Independent | Stuart Davies * | 657 | |
| | Green | Robert Spalding | 263 | 16.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,317 | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | |

### Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch (one seat)

Llanrhaeadr-yng-Nghinmeirch 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Joseph Welch * | 403 | 51.1 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Cheow-Lay Wee | 197 | 25.0 |
| | Conservative | David Murfitt | 188 | 23.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 206 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 53.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,490 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Prestatyn Central (two seats)

Prestatyn Central 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Hugh Irving * | 544 | 37.2 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Jones | 484 | |
| | Independent | Peter Duffy * | 469 | 32.1 |
| | Independent | Michael German | 395 | |
| | Labour | Sonia Penlington | 376 | 25.7 |
| | Labour | David Lloyd | 374 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Kirwan | 74 | 5.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 49.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,878 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
Peter Duffy was elected for the Labour Party in 2012.

### Prestatyn East (two seats)

Prestatyn East 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthon Sampson | 676 | 45.6 | +4.0 |
| | Conservative | Julian Thompson-Hill * | 621 | | |
| | Labour | Caroline Holliday | 486 | 32.8 | +3.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gavin Scott | 320 | 21.6 | +21.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 135 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 40.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,205 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Prestatyn Meliden (one seat)

Prestatyn Meliden 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Peter Evans * | 308 | 53.6 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Gerald Frobisher | 221 | 38.4 | +9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Prydderch | 46 | 8.0 | +8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,528 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Prestatyn North (three seats)

Prestatyn North 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | George Flynn | 940 | 53.6 |
| | Conservative | Rachel Flynn | 892 | |
| | Labour | Paul Penlington * | 814 | 46.4 |
| | Labour | Jason McLellan * | 812 | |
| | Conservative | Angelina Muraca | 746 | |
| | Labour | Janet Szabo | 733 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 41.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,751 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Prestatyn South West (two seats)

Prestatyn South West 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Gareth Davies | 505 | 41.1 |
| | Labour | Robert Murray * | 498 | 40.6 |
| | Labour | Gareth Sandilands * | 482 | |
| | Conservative | William Davies | 427 | |
| | Independent | David Cooper | 225 | 18.3 |
| | Independent | Allan Pennington | 156 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 43.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,834 | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Rhuddlan (two seats)

Rhuddlan 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Janet Davies * | 808 | 48.5 | +5.2 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Arwel Roberts * | 577 | 34.6 | +7.3 |
| | Conservative | Heather Ellis | 385 | | |
| | Labour | Jacqueline McAlpine | 281 | 16.9 | +16.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 192 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 44.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,896 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | | |

### Rhyl East (two seats)

Rhyl East 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barry Mellor * | 658 | 47.7 | 0 |
| | Conservative | Tony Thomas | 579 | 42.0 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | David Simmons * | 542 | | |
| | Conservative | Stewart Harris | 524 | | |
| | Independent | Diana Hannam | 143 | 10.4 | −8.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 38.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,716 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Rhyl South (two seats)

Rhyl South 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Jeanette Chamberlain-Jones * | 684 | 54.1 |
| | Labour | Ellie Chard | 601 | |
| | Conservative | Justine Evans | 580 | 45.9 |
| | Conservative | Daniel Murray | 570 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,941 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Rhyl South East (three seats)

Rhyl South East 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Brian Blakeley * | 1,160 | 47.8 |
| | Labour | Cheryl Williams | 743 | |
| | Conservative | Brian Jones | 722 | 29.8 |
| | Labour | Stephen Ellison | 715 | |
| | Conservative | Ellie Jones | 650 | |
| | Conservative | Curtis Shea | 578 | |
| | Independent | Winifred Mullen-James * | 438 | 18.1 |
| | Independent | William Tasker * | 264 | |
| | Independent | Hugh Jones | 250 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Dear | 105 | 4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 7 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 36.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,092 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | |
Win Mullen-James and Bill Tasker had been sitting Labour councillors, but Mullen-James was deselected by her party prior to the election.

### Rhyl South West (two seats)

Rhyl South West 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Patricia Jones * | 703 | 65.7 |
| | Labour | Peter Prendergast | 559 | |
| | Conservative | Dawn Butters | 367 | 34.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 192 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 28.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,763 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | |

### Rhyl West (two seats)

Rhyl West 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Joan Butterfield * | unopposed |
| | Labour | Alan James | unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,473 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing |

### Ruthin (three seats)

Ruthin 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Huw Hilditch-Roberts * | 1,237 | 33.7 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Emrys Wynne | 1,089 | 29.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robina Feeley * | 832 | 22.6 |
| | Plaid Cymru | Hywel Richards | 783 | |
| | Independent | Patricia Astbury | 655 | |
| | Conservative | John Hughes | 516 | 14.0 |
| | Independent | Geraint Woolford | 397 | |
| | Independent | Ian Lewney | 247 | |
| | Conservative | Aileen Wynn | 190 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 49 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 54.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,327 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
| | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Plaid Cymru gain from Independent | Swing | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | |

### St Asaph East (one seat)

St Asaph East 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | David Thomas | 391 | 60.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Heather Prydderch | 173 | 30.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 39.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,445 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |

### St Asaph West (one seat)

St Asaph West 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Peter Scott | 201 | 47.6 |
| | Independent | John Wynne-Jones | 171 | 40.5 |
| | Independent | Peter Morton | 50 | 11.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 30 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 33.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,288 | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |

### Trefnant (one seat)

Trefnant 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Plaid Cymru | Meirick Davies * | 263 | 36.3 |
| | Conservative | Terence Mendies | 242 | 33.4 |
| | Independent | Dennis Williams | 219 | 30.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 47.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,545 | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | |

### Tremeirchion (one seat)

Tremeirchion 2017 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Christine Marston | 293 | 44.3 | −1.5 |
| | Independent | Barbara Smith * | 184 | 27.8 | −26.6 |
| | Independent | Peter Scott | 94 | 14.2 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Penelope Mawdsley | 91 | 13.7 | +13.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 50.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,338 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

## By-elections 2017 to 2021
### Corwen

Corwen by-election: 18 March 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Alan Hughes | 480 | 65.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Gordon Hughes | 148 | 20.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lisa Davies | 104 | 14.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 332 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | | |
The by-election was called after the death of Plaid Cymru councillor, Huw "Chick" Jones. He had died in early 2020 but the by-election was delayed considerably because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

### Llandrillo

Llandrillo: 11 November 2021 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Plaid Cymru | Gwyneth Ellis | 179 | 44.0 | N/A |
| | Independent | David Robinson | 140 | 34.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Julian Sampson | 88 | 21.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 9.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 407 | | |
| | Plaid Cymru hold | Plaid Cymru hold | Swing | | |