Election shocks (From Free Press Series)

Election shocks

THERE were quite a few shocks in the Abergavenny and Usk areas in last week's local council elections, including Andre Arkell, chairman of the area committee losing his seat.

He stood in the Grofield ward instead of in Llanfoist Fawr, and was beaten by Abergavenny town councillor Douglas Edwards who took the seat for the Liberal Democrats.

Mr Arkell was the cabinet member for leisure, and another cabinet member, Giles Howard surprisingly lost his seat in the Llanelly Hill ward, together with his Labour colleague Martin Thomas. They were beaten by

Independents Simon Howarth and Anthony Carrington. When he was a member of the Labour Party, Cllr Carrington was chairman of Monmouthshire County Council.

The Bryn y Cwm area committee Liberal Democrat member Sylvia Heighton, who won the by-election in June, 2002, lost her seat to Conservative Bryan Jones.

Monmouthshire County Council is once again under Conservative rule, for they have an overall majority with 23 seats, with Labour winning nine seats, Independents five, Liberal Democrats four and Plaid Cymru gaining their first two seats on the council.

Abergavenny town council also have their first Plaid Cymru member, with former museum curator Frank Olding taking his seat for the uncontested Lansdown ward with Independent member Raymond Hill.

There will be quite a few new faces when the town council meets tonight (Wed) to elect their mayor to replace Cllr Victor Barrett whose term of office finishes next month.

The biggest shock in Usk was the defeat of two popular and hard-working members of the town council, former mayor Roger Galletley and John Milsom, who worked on the council's behalf to gather evidence which helped them win the Woodside housing development appeal. end