While Welsh Labour can lay legitimate claim to a democratic mandate over NPT Council as a whole, that mandate is far less convincing when we abstract those seats and votes within the Port Talbot area, and consider Neath and Pontardawe and their valleys in isolation.
There are 64 council seats in total in NPT
In Afan, Welsh Labour took 26 out of 30 seats
In Neath and Pontardawe areas there are 34 seats in 26 wards
Welsh Labour won 17 seats. They ran 34 candidates
Plaid Cymru won 13 seats. They ran 28 candidates
Independents won 4 seats. There were 15 candidates
Total valid votes cast for the 26 wards 33254
Vote numbers per Party were as follows:
Welsh Labour 13658 41.1% of overall vote
PC 11625 35.0%
Independents 4653 14.0%
Conservatives 2679 8.1%
Lib Dem 468 1.4%
Greens 110 0.3%
UKIP 61 0.2%
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Welsh Labour v Plaid straight contests
Dyffryn
Blaengwrach
Neath South (2 seats)
Cwmllynfell
GCG
Lower Brynamman
Trebanos
Ystalyfera
9 seats total: 3 Labour, 6 PC
Welsh Labour vote 3319
PC vote 3929
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Welsh Labour v Independents straight contests
Seven Sisters
Onllwyn
2 seats: 1 Labour, 1 Independent
Welsh Labour vote 557
Independents 926
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I think that Plaid Cymru and the Independents representing the Neath and Pontardawe areas have quite a case for strong representation in the Council in terms of senior positions within the Committee structures. Let's see if they fight for them and what that spiteful old dog called Labour will make of it if they ask for a share of his bone.
