DETAILS of two potential by-elections as a result of councillors having been elected to the Senedd have been confirmed.
A by-election could be held to fill a vacancy on Torfaen Borough Council while a deadline for requesting a by-election to Pontypool Community Council is looming.
Residents have until 5pm on Tuesday, June 2 to request a by-election is held to Pontypool Community Council. An election will be held if ten or more electors submit a written request to Stephen Vickers who, as the chief executive of Torfaen Borough Council, is the “proper officer” for community council elections.
The vacancy for the community council’s New Inn Upper ward is a result of Stephen Senior having been elected as one of two Reform UK Members of Senedd for the combined Sir Fynwy Torfaen constituency.
Senedd Members are required to resign membership of other authorities, including councils, to take their seats in Cardiff Bay.
That has also resulted in a vacancy on the borough council as Jason O’Connell, who represented Llantarnam, was elected to the Senedd in the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr constituency for Reform UK.
The deadline for nominations to fill the Llantarnam ward vacancy on the borough council is 4pm on Friday, June 5 and if an election is required it will be held on Thursday, July 2.
Mr O’Connell was elected as an independent in a February 2023 by-election but along with the ward’s two other independent councillors joined Reform in August 2024.
The former councillor from Cwmbran has been appointed as Reform’s shadow cabinet minister for the economy and transport in the Senedd.
Residents aged 16 and over are entitled to vote in council elections in Wales.
