Next month is election month. There will, however, be no contest for the town council, as all those wishing to stand are returned unopposed. Rhuthun/Ruthin is one of 34 communities where residents see no grassroots election. This is the case on 60 per cent of community councils.
And this after last time's excitement in Rhuthun. Are we to see a return to the apathetic times when the council just rolls on and on, election after election, without any hint of democracy? In spite of the town council's restricted powers, holding no election at all is bad for local democracy.
Yet, we only have ourselves to blame. Apathy is our enemy.
The town council comprises 15 councillors. In 2012, there were 18 candidates. The three unsuccessful were Lorna Hassall, Graham Hardinges and Elizabeth Downs. Betty Downs died in March 2016 and the other two are not standing.
Of the 15 elected, 12 continue on today's council, till the election on May 4th. Three others were co-opted between 2012 and 2015 to cover vacancies as they arose, namely Ian Lewney, Heather Williams and Geraint Woolford. Woolford made as the current town mayor.
Of these 12, eight continue, viz Steve Beach, Jim Bryan, Robert Owen-Ellis, Ken Hawkins, Rosie Highes, Menna Jones, Anne Roberts and Emrys Wynne. The three aforementioned co-opted councillors also continue. This means we need four new councillors to reach the 15 total and with four additional candidates, the whole council is returned unopposed. The new councillors are Keiran Allsopp-Robson, David Snape and Ifan Wyn plus the welcome return of former mayor Gavin Harris.
Only the three Plaid Cymru candidates nail their colours to the mast: Menna Jones, Ifan Wyn and Emrys Wynne. Interestingly, Geraint Woolford, who when co-opted marched under the Conservative banner, has decided to declare himself independent. Anne Roberts, currently a Conservative, now makes no political declaration. With the retirement of long-standing councillors Costain, Culshaw and Derry, all of whom were Conservatives, the new town council now has no declared Conservatives among them. If my memory serves, only Culshaw and Derry actually stood in 2012 under a Conservative ticket.
Most of our town councillors seem to reside in the more prosperous parts of Rhuthun. Two have town centre addresses; 10 may best be described as in the more affluent parts of town; whereas only three live in Denbighshire average Llanfwrog Urban. This under-represents people from that part of the town (not that the town is split into wards).
Is can-do Harris's return prompted by the lack of any real progress on the part of the town council since he left?
The Districts
The most interesting thing about May's village community council elections is the number of councils for which Bob Barton is elected unopposed. Barton lives near Llanarmon yn Iâl. His name appears on four uncontested community councils, meaning he returns to local politics and in a very big way.
Barton was knocked off his Llanarmon yn Iâl/Llandegla county council seat in 2008, where he stood as a Liberal Democrat, coming second of three with 26 per cent of the vote. As an independent, he tried again in 2012 and came bottom, with 11 per cent. He also tried for Llanferres community council in 2014 but came in second of two, with 26 per cent.
The four community councils on which he will now serve are Llanbedr, Llandegla, Llanfair and Llanferres. He is also one of 13 candidates for Llanarmon yn Iâl community council fighting for one of 10 seats. Why so many in Llanarmon?
Oh, and he's also standing as one of three candidates for the county council seat of Llanarmon yn Iâl/Llandegla,
And this after last time's excitement in Rhuthun. Are we to see a return to the apathetic times when the council just rolls on and on, election after election, without any hint of democracy? In spite of the town council's restricted powers, holding no election at all is bad for local democracy.
Yet, we only have ourselves to blame. Apathy is our enemy.
The town council comprises 15 councillors. In 2012, there were 18 candidates. The three unsuccessful were Lorna Hassall, Graham Hardinges and Elizabeth Downs. Betty Downs died in March 2016 and the other two are not standing.
Of the 15 elected, 12 continue on today's council, till the election on May 4th. Three others were co-opted between 2012 and 2015 to cover vacancies as they arose, namely Ian Lewney, Heather Williams and Geraint Woolford. Woolford made as the current town mayor.
Of these 12, eight continue, viz Steve Beach, Jim Bryan, Robert Owen-Ellis, Ken Hawkins, Rosie Highes, Menna Jones, Anne Roberts and Emrys Wynne. The three aforementioned co-opted councillors also continue. This means we need four new councillors to reach the 15 total and with four additional candidates, the whole council is returned unopposed. The new councillors are Keiran Allsopp-Robson, David Snape and Ifan Wyn plus the welcome return of former mayor Gavin Harris.
Is can-do Harris's return prompted by the lack of any real progress on the part of the town council since he left?
The Districts
The most interesting thing about May's village community council elections is the number of councils for which Bob Barton is elected unopposed. Barton lives near Llanarmon yn Iâl. His name appears on four uncontested community councils, meaning he returns to local politics and in a very big way.
Barton was knocked off his Llanarmon yn Iâl/Llandegla county council seat in 2008, where he stood as a Liberal Democrat, coming second of three with 26 per cent of the vote. As an independent, he tried again in 2012 and came bottom, with 11 per cent. He also tried for Llanferres community council in 2014 but came in second of two, with 26 per cent.
The four community councils on which he will now serve are Llanbedr, Llandegla, Llanfair and Llanferres. He is also one of 13 candidates for Llanarmon yn Iâl community council fighting for one of 10 seats. Why so many in Llanarmon?
Oh, and he's also standing as one of three candidates for the county council seat of Llanarmon yn Iâl/Llandegla,
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Town Council