The Green Party has made impressive gains with councillors elected all across Wales. It had no councillors on any council before the 2022 election, and can now boast eight and two more elected via an alliance with Plaid Cymru.
In 2017, the first ever Green Party councillor was elected in Wales, but Emily Durrant left the party to join Plaid Cymru in Powys.
In 2022, councillors were elected in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Monmouthshire, Conwy, Powys and Denbighshire. Two more were elected via the Common Ground Alliance in Cardiff, a deal between Plaid Cymru and the Greens. You can see all the results from across Wales here and our live coverage from the day.
The full list:
- Nathan Goldup-John: Neath Port Talbot Council
- Ian Chandler: Monmouthshire
- Lauren James: Newport
- Ros Griffiths-Williams: Conwy
- Jeremy Thorp: Powys
- Chris Evans: Swansea
- John Hartland: Denbighshire
- Martyn Hogg: Denbighshire
- Andrea Gibson: Cardiff (Plaid Cymru/Green Party, Common Ground Alliance)
- Rhys Owain Livesy: Cardiff (Plaid Cymru/Green Party, Common Ground Alliance)
After becoming Newport’s first ever Green Party councillor, Lauren James said she was "excited, elated, tired" but energised at the feedback she’d had from residents. “We’ve been doing work for a long time so to feel that they’ve been able to put their trust in me is just excellent.
“Priority number one is getting back in the community and the doorstep, so residents know their councillors are there and that they care about them. One issue which came up was bus services that were axed and replaced with the fflecsi service people are struggling to work.”
Cllr Evans was elected for the Mayals ward in Swansea. "I look forward to working with all the different parties, and hope to push the green agenda in Swansea". He said he felt Labour had made 'an excellent start' on green issues, but he said he would press to take it to another level. Former Green Party leader Natalie Bennett described it as a "green whirlwind across Wales".
