SIX political parties will contest a borough council seat last represented by Reform UK in an upcoming by-election.
Voters in Cwmbran’s Llantarnam ward will go to the polls to elect a new member of Torfaen Borough Council after Jason O’Connell had to resign after he was elected to the Senedd at May’s Welsh election to represent the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr constituency as a Reform MS.
Reform has selected Jonathan Hollins as its candidate to try and keep hold of the seat won by Mr O’Connell as an independent at a February 2023 by-election before he, along with the ward’s two other independent councillors, joined Reform UK to form the first group of councillors for Nigel Farage’s party on a Welsh council in August 2024.
Reform currently has a group of three on the borough council which will remain under Labour control with the party having a double figures majority at the Civic Centre in Pontypool.
Labour has selected Sean Wharton, who is a member of Cwmbran Community Council, as its candidate while Brendan Roberts, who is a member of Henllys Community Council, is the Liberal Democrat candidate.
Plaid Cymru, which made a breakthrough locally when it had two Senedd Members elected in the combined Torfaen and Monmouthshire constituency as it topped the poll nationally, will be represented by Joe Tresidder.
Roger Morgan is the Conservative candidate and Tom Pedley will represent the Green Party.
The election will take place on Thursday, July 2 and anyone aged 16 and over is entitled to vote.
Candidates seeking to stand in a by-election to Pontypool Community Council have until 4pm on Friday, June 19 to return their nomination papers to the borough council.
The election for the New Inn Upper ward has been called after Stephen Senior resigned his council seat after he was elected as one of two Reform Senedd Members for the Sir Fynwy Torfaen constituency at May’s election.
