'By continually failing to seek an election at each councillor's resignation, we find we have a town council chosen not by residents but by the town council itself.'
So we said in February 2020. This was after the December 2019 departure of longstanding town councillor Emrys Wynne, who resigned because he wished to concentrate on his role as county councillor. Aside from a mere eight months, Wynne had been a town councillor since 1991 and twice mayor, including a brief extension to see the town twinning process over the line. Leave aside party politics and Wynne is an approachable and balanced councillor. The town council went through the motions of informing the county council. The county council sought 10 electors to force an election. None came forward, hence the co-option of Mike Van Der Eijk.
And it's now happened again. Following September 2020 resignation of Cllr Keiran Allsopp-Robson, because of family commitments, we welcome new town councillor Pat Astbury. She's long held political aspirations and, indeed, in the 2000s was once a town councillor and mayor of Rhuthun/Ruthin. In 2017, she even put herself forward as a potential for a county council seat where she came fifth of nine.
Again, the town council went through the same process as before as it did earlier this year and in 2018. Still no 10 electors coming forward so the co-option began.
But not all the blame falls on the town council.
If we cannot muster the 10 required names to ensure an election, we must also share some (most?) of the blame. Where does this leave democracy? Updating the post of November 2018, here is the status as regards town councillors who have and have not been elected. No councillor was elected when last we had an opportunity to refresh the full council (in 2017) because the whole lot was returned unopposed. Half the council has never recently been elected at all (if you include Gavin Harris, last elected 2008 but who only then stood again in 2017):
| Pat Astbury | Co-opted |
| Steve Beach | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Jim Bryan | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Gavin Harris | Last elected 2008. Did not stand 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Ken Hawkins | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| John Wynne Hughes | Never elected. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Menna Jones | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Ian Lewney | Never elected. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Jabez Oakes | Co-opted |
| Bob Owen-Ellis | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Anne Roberts | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Dave Snape | Last elected 2012. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Mike Van Der Eijk | Co-opted |
| Heather Williams | Never elected. Returned opposed 2017 |
| Ifan Wynne | Never elected. Returned opposed 2017 |
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Town Council