'Potholes and school transport issues' as Tory group scoops seat in council by-election

Residents in the Rhiwcynon ward went to the polls on Tuesday to choose a successor to Heulwen Hulme who stood down as an Independent county councillor in April.

Polls closed at 10am and the counting took place at Tregynon Community Centre soon after where it was announced that local farmer, John Yeomans from Adfa had won the ward for the Conservative party.

Councillor Yeomans said: “One issue that might seem minor in some people’s eyes but is massive for people around here is the state of the roads, it’s horrendous and loads of cars are being damaged.

“There’s a lot of worry with the local schools and the transport issues – there’s a feeling that’s unfair and I’m hoping we can do something about that.”

“Anybody who knows me knows I will try my best.”

Councillor Yeomans thanked and his family for all their support and the Powys County Council staff who manned the polling stations during the day and later worked at the count to tally up the votes.

He also thanked Craig Williams the Conservative General Election candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, Russell George the Montgomeryshire MS and “their people” for their help during the campaign.

The result is:

John Yeomans – Welsh Conservatives – 352 votes.

Ann Jones – Plaid Cymru – 286 votes.

Richard Breese Jones – Independent – 110 votes.

Richard Edward Amy – Liberal Democrat – 74 votes.

Paul Wixey – Welsh Labour – 25 votes.

Oliver Lewis – Reform UK – 18 votes.

Rhodri Parfitt – The Green Party – 13 votes.

David Markinson – Independent – 4 votes.

This also means that the Conservative group in Powys is 15 councillors strong and puts them on a par with the Powys Independents group.

The Powys Independents group formed last month when two groups of independent councillors merged and were joined by two non-aligned councillors to form at the time the biggest opposition group on the council.,

The new council make up is:

Minority Administration

Liberal Democrats – 22.

Labour – 9.

Green Party – 1.

Opposition groups

Powys Independents group – 15

Conservatives – 14.

Plaid Cymru – 3.

Non-affiliated councillors – 3.

Total 68.