The election results are now available. We certainly got it wrong about Geraint Woolford. We predicted there would be a tussle between him and sitting councillor Bobby Feeley for third place. In the event, Woolford managed just seven per cent of the vote, putting him in seventh place out of nine candidates.
The failed challenger to the Lib Dem's Feeley was actually fourth placed Plaid's Hywel Roberts. I was right to predict Feeley coming in third but missed the fact that it would be Richards and not Woolford who challenged. And it was close: Richards was just 49 votes behind.
And I was right about both independent Huw Hilditch Roberts and Plaid's Emrys Wynne taking the first two seats. Hilditch Roberts had 148 votes over Wynne. Hilditch Roberts actually increased his popularity, from 15 to 21 per cent of the vote. Feeley's reduced by one per cent to 14. Hywel Roberts gained four per cent to 13. Indeed, Plaid's share of the vote leapt from 20 per cent with three candidates in 2012 to 31 per cent with two this time. And, of course, Plaid gained its first Rhuthun/Ruthin seat since Morfudd Jones stood down in 2012. It could so nearly have been two seats this time. Plaid had worked hard in targeting Rhuthun.
Independent Pat Astbury increased her share from eight to 11 per cent and this was enough to come in fifth, a climb of one place. The Conservatives fielded two candidates and did broadly as well as they did in 2012 with three. Yet, Conservative Beryl Wyn came in bottom, with three per cent of the vote. Fellow Conservative John Hughes landed sixth place. That leaves Ian Lewney at eighth, with just four per cent of the vote.
The Districts
There were no surprises in Llanfair DC/Gwyddelwern. The leader of the council managed 79 per cent of the vote over an out-of-area Conservative.
It was much closer for the Efenechtyd division, where sitting Eryl Williams (Plaid) managed just 53 per cent of the vote against an independent challenger.
Meanwhile, Bob "Bananas" Barton again failed in his attempt to get back in Llanarmon/Llandegla. Once again, he came in third of three, behind both sitting Conservative Martyn Holland (who managed 85 per cent of the vote) and Socialist Labour's candidate (nine per cent). Barton managed just 58 votes (six per cent). Barton's vote halved from 11 per cent in 2012. Indeed, he also came bottom of the community council election out of 13 candidates, with 68 votes. Are the people of his area trying to tell him something?
And I was right about both independent Huw Hilditch Roberts and Plaid's Emrys Wynne taking the first two seats. Hilditch Roberts had 148 votes over Wynne. Hilditch Roberts actually increased his popularity, from 15 to 21 per cent of the vote. Feeley's reduced by one per cent to 14. Hywel Roberts gained four per cent to 13. Indeed, Plaid's share of the vote leapt from 20 per cent with three candidates in 2012 to 31 per cent with two this time. And, of course, Plaid gained its first Rhuthun/Ruthin seat since Morfudd Jones stood down in 2012. It could so nearly have been two seats this time. Plaid had worked hard in targeting Rhuthun.
Independent Pat Astbury increased her share from eight to 11 per cent and this was enough to come in fifth, a climb of one place. The Conservatives fielded two candidates and did broadly as well as they did in 2012 with three. Yet, Conservative Beryl Wyn came in bottom, with three per cent of the vote. Fellow Conservative John Hughes landed sixth place. That leaves Ian Lewney at eighth, with just four per cent of the vote.
The Districts
There were no surprises in Llanfair DC/Gwyddelwern. The leader of the council managed 79 per cent of the vote over an out-of-area Conservative.
It was much closer for the Efenechtyd division, where sitting Eryl Williams (Plaid) managed just 53 per cent of the vote against an independent challenger.
Meanwhile, Bob "Bananas" Barton again failed in his attempt to get back in Llanarmon/Llandegla. Once again, he came in third of three, behind both sitting Conservative Martyn Holland (who managed 85 per cent of the vote) and Socialist Labour's candidate (nine per cent). Barton managed just 58 votes (six per cent). Barton's vote halved from 11 per cent in 2012. Indeed, he also came bottom of the community council election out of 13 candidates, with 68 votes. Are the people of his area trying to tell him something?
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Denbighshire