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2017 Cardiff Council election

The 2017 Cardiff Council election was held on 4 May 2017 as part of the national 2017 Welsh local elections. The elections were preceded by the 2012 elections and were followed by the 2022 elections.

The 2017 Cardiff Council election was held on 4 May 2017 as part of the national 2017 Welsh local elections. The elections were preceded by the 2012 elections and were followed by the 2022 elections.

Labour maintained control of the authority following these elections, gaining their highest popular vote since 1995, but ending up with a reduced number of seats. The Conservatives achieved their best result since the unitary council was created in 1995, winning twenty seats and replacing the Liberal Democrats as the official opposition on the council. Plaid Cymru also secured their highest popular vote, despite standing in fewer seats than in 2012, but only won three seats. The Liberal Democrats in Cardiff suffered their worst election result in terms of total seats won (eleven) since 1995, whilst the local Green Party failed to win its first seat on the council, suffering a fall in support when compared to the 2012 election. The only independent candidate to be elected was Fenella Bowden in the Heath ward, who would become Cardiff Council's longest serving Independent councillor during the council term.

The only member of the original council elected in 1995 who had served continuously since then is Russell Goodway, former leader of the Council, who was again returned for the Ely ward. Others elected in 1995 but who had not remained members continuously included Graham Hinchey, Susan Lent, Sarah Merry, Lynda Thorne (Labour) and Fenella Bowden (LD/Independent).

Leader of the Plaid Cymru group, Neil McEvoy, was the only party leader to remain in post immediately after the election. Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Elizabeth Clark lost her Cathays seat to Labour. Conservative group leader, David Walker, also stood down immediately after the elections. Council leader and leader of the Labour group prior to the election, Phil Bale, was replaced by Splott councillor Huw Thomas.

City of Cardiff Council Composition 2017

PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
4048-453.339.5113,025+3.2
20130+1326.625.572,920+7.6
1105-614.615.744,823-0.7
311±0.04.014.842,352+2.0
100±0.01.31.33,810-0.2
000±0.00.01.33,822-5.2
000±0.00.00.82,373+0.3
003-30.00.72,056N/A
000±0.00.00.3810-0.2

The four largest political groups on Cardiff Council produced manifestos for the 2017 local election campaign. The Heath Independents committed to six pledges ahead of the election.

The South Wales Echo also interviewed the four largest political group leaders prior to election day.

Cardiff Labour

Cardiff Conservatives

Cardiff Liberal Democrats

Plaid Cymru

***** = sitting councillor in this ward prior to election

PartyCandidateVotes%.mw-parser-output .tooltip-dotted{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}±%
Liberal Democrats91742.8+3.0
Labour91342.6+3.4
Labour874
Liberal Democrats863
Conservative1075.0+2.1
Plaid Cymru1054.9−0.4
Plaid Cymru100
Green994.6−1.8
Conservative97
TUSC271.3−2.4
2,14436.1+7.4
5,946
Liberal Democrats hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,46256.3+19.0
Plaid Cymru46217.8−0.7
Conservative35613.7+2.8
Liberal Democrats2379.1−23.2
Green853.3−0.3
2,59734.9+4.6
7,438
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,34051.1−7.2
Labour1,152
Plaid Cymru88133.6+23.5
Plaid Cymru788
Conservative38214.6+6.3
Conservative277
Liberal Democrats712.7−14.8
Liberal Democrats61
TUSC281.1N/A
2,62333.4+4.1
7,859
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour2,37042.3−5.3
Labour2,314
Labour2,301
Plaid Cymru2,10537.5+17.3
Plaid Cymru1,944
Plaid Cymru1,867
Conservative66611.9+1.1
Conservative649
Liberal Democrats3766.7+4.2
Conservative363
Green3636.5−9.1
Liberal Democrats281
Liberal Democrats274
5,60751.3+10.0
10,929
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Labour won all four seats. Ali Ahmed previously represented Butetown.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,63950.3+20.6
Labour1,581
Labour1,468
Labour1,458
Liberal Democrats97630.0+2.5
Liberal Democrats843
Liberal Democrats834
Liberal Democrats809
Green41612.8−8.7
Plaid Cymru3189.8+0.8
Conservative3089.4+1.7
Conservative300
Conservative297
Plaid Cymru280
Plaid Cymru274
Plaid Cymru250
Conservative244
TUSC812.5N/A
TUSC63
3,25628.1+10.5
11,589
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative94847.0+9.8
Plaid Cymru64431.9−4.8
Labour33416.6−2.3
Liberal Democrats914.5+1.4
2,01850.3+7.4
4,011
Conservative hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats1,87439.9−4.8
Conservative1,85239.4+12.4
Liberal Democrats1,769
Conservative1,737
Conservative1,733
Liberal Democrats1,727
Labour99621.2+4.3
Labour757
Labour710
Green4158.8+3.4
4,69656.3+13.0
8,344
Liberal Democrats hold
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,47251.4−4.9
Labour1,380
Labour1,269
Plaid Cymru78627.4
Plaid Cymru745
Plaid Cymru622
Conservative50917.8+9.4
Conservative507
Liberal Democrats2679.3+5.9
Liberal Democrats97
Liberal Democrats84
TUSC642.2N/A
2,86429.5+0.8
9,710
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Plaid Cymru2,41456.3+13.5
Plaid Cymru2,349
Plaid Cymru2,017
Labour1,16027.1−9.7
Labour1,101
Labour1,039
Conservative53512.5−1.5
Conservative533
Conservative450
Liberal Democrats2034.7+2.9
Green1904.4−0.2
Liberal Democrats92
Liberal Democrats92
TUSC731.7N/A
4,28744.5+3.7
9,639
Plaid Cymru hold
Plaid Cymru hold
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats92244.1−7.0
Liberal Democrats920
Labour81839.1+11.8
Labour719
Plaid Cymru1788.5+1.7
Plaid Cymru169
Conservative1657.9+1.6
Conservative149
2,09135.7+10.1
5,863
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

Plaid Cymru lost a seat they had gained in a by-election in November 2016.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour2,19944.7+4.5
Labour2,198
Labour2,121
Plaid Cymru1,75835.7+2.2
Plaid Cymru1,438
Plaid Cymru1,310
Conservative67113.6+6.8
Conservative604
Conservative580
Liberal Democrats3507.1−4.1
Green2725.5+0.7
Liberal Democrats232
Liberal Democrats194
TUSC651.3N/A
TUSC46
4,92437.3+0.5
13,215
Labour gain from Plaid Cymru
Labour hold
Labour hold

The independent candidates stood again as Heath & Birchgrove Independents.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour2,01038.2+10.5
Conservative1,83034.8+9.9
Heath IndependentFenella Bowden*1,73733.0+3.7
Labour1,704
Labour1,667
Conservative1,602
Conservative1,477
Heath Independent1,143
Heath Independent930
Plaid Cymru4107.8+1.5
Green2514.8−0.1
Liberal Democrats2444.6−2.2
Liberal Democrats163
Liberal Democrats119
5,26455.1+11.0
9,490
Labour hold
Conservative hold
Heath Independent hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative1,23275.6+2.5
Labour21913.4−3.5
Liberal Democrats1308.0+3.5
Plaid Cymru493.0−0.6
1,63556.3+8.6
2,903
Conservative hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative1,37035.7+13.0
Conservative1,169
Plaid Cymru1,08728.3+18.9
Plaid Cymru1,017
Labour Co-op94424.6−3.1
Labour Co-op853
Independent3499.1+5.9
Liberal Democrats2707.0−24.5
Liberal Democrats259
Green1303.4−0.3
3,83655.6+9.9
6,903
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,40055.2+7.8
Labour1,349
Conservative53120.9+15.0
Plaid Cymru43917.3+11.9
Conservative422
Plaid Cymru394
Liberal Democrats1716.7−7.6
Liberal Democrats104
Independent562.2−21.0
TUSC391.5N/A
2,53743.9+3.3
5,782
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative2,89043.8+9.0
Labour Co-op2,80542.5+1.5
Conservative2,804
Conservative2,528
Labour Co-op2,523
Conservative2,383
Labour Co-op2,282
Labour Co-op2,254
Plaid Cymru66610.1+2.9
Liberal Democrats5939.0+4.1
Liberal Democrats575
Liberal Democrats543
Green5288.0+2.6
Liberal Democrats449
UKIP3234.9−1.9
UKIP240
UKIP220
UKIP180
6,59450.0+12.9
13,175
Conservative hold
Labour Co-op hold
Conservative gain from Labour Co-op
Conservative gain from Labour Co-op
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,26956.1−11.9
Labour1,258
Labour1,195
Conservative55124.4+10.0
Conservative484
Conservative432
UKIP25511.3N/A
UKIP207
Plaid Cymru2008.8
UKIP151
Liberal Democrats1265.6+2.8
Plaid Cymru114
Plaid Cymru96
Liberal Democrats77
Liberal Democrats73
2,26029.2−0.4
7,744
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats1,82245.6+1.8
Liberal Democrats1,627
Liberal Democrats1,548
Labour1,41135.3−2.4
Labour1,409
Liberal Democrats1,346
Labour1,325
Labour1,119
Conservative66316.6+9.7
Conservative623
Conservative559
Conservative530
Plaid Cymru2365.9+1.3
Plaid Cymru228
Plaid Cymru202
Plaid Cymru172
TUSC982.5N/A
3,99437.6+6.6
10,623
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative73347.4−7.0
Plaid Cymru51833.5+21.4
Labour23415.1−14.0
Liberal Democrats634.1+2.5
1,54855.4+3.1
2,790
Conservative hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats2,51925.6−22.5
Liberal Democrats2,195
Liberal Democrats2,078
Labour1,31713.4−12.6
Labour1,231
Labour1,044
Conservative8558.7−1.2
Conservative743
Conservative723
Plaid Cymru5435.5−2.2
Green4955.0−3,3
Independent3163.2N/A
9,89750.1+8.6
9,897
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold
Liberal Democrats hold

The Liberal Democrats lost a seat they had gained in a by-election.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour2,40852.2+15.4
Labour2,311
Labour2,159
Labour2,055
Liberal Democrats1,54533.5+0.8
Liberal Democrats1,531
Liberal Democrats1,410
Liberal Democrats1,300
Green56012.1−0.7
Plaid Cymru3718.0−4.1
Plaid Cymru346
Plaid Cymru331
Conservative2976.4+0.8
Conservative289
Conservative252
Conservative223
4,61138.9+13.3
11,851
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative1,85157.6+21.7
Conservative1,760
Labour1,13435.3−13.7
Labour891
Plaid Cymru2006.2−1.4
Liberal Democrats1765.5+0.3
Liberal Democrats167
3,21644.5+10.4
7,221
Conservative hold
Conservative gain from Labour
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative1,19343.1−10.2
Plaid Cymru99936.1+28.9
Labour35812.9−19.5
Liberal Democrats2187.9+3.7
2,77253.4+7.6
5,195
Conservative hold

Two of the three Independent councillors elected in 2012 rejoined the Conservatives in 2015 and the third Independent was defeated by a Conservative in this election.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative3,59563.0+51.4
Conservative3,230
Conservative2,565
Independent1,56527.4−41.5
Labour1,52426.7+15.3
Labour1,500
Labour1,159
Plaid Cymru4027.0+2.9
Liberal Democrats3716.5+5.1
Liberal Democrats198
Liberal Democrats170
5,71061.9+7.8
9,219
Conservative gain from Independent
Conservative gain from Independent
Conservative gain from Independent
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour2,27853.2+6.5
Labour2,050
Labour1,941
Plaid Cymru1,12626.3−4.8
Plaid Cymru1,054
Plaid Cymru959
Conservative51011.9+4.2
Conservative464
Conservative415
Liberal Democrats4019.3+5.5
Green4009.3+1.4
Liberal Democrats255
Liberal Democrats218
Independent862.0N/A
4,28344.6+9.4
9,595
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,03046.3−2.1
Labour1,017
Conservative87139.2+11.5
Conservative684
UKIP2219.9N/A
UKIP204
Liberal Democrats1044.7+2.6
Liberal Democrats91
TUSC391.8−0.1
2,22233.5+3.6
6,629
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,68555.3+7.4
Labour1,658
Labour1,656
Conservative41613.6+9.3
Liberal Democrats41313.5−16.5
Conservative401
Plaid Cymru39813.1+6.0
Plaid Cymru385
Conservative373
Liberal Democrats356
Liberal Democrats322
Plaid Cymru292
Green1705.6−1.1
TUSC702.3−0.7
TUSC67
TUSC50
3,04733.1+3.0
9,211
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold

Ralph Cook was elected as a Labour candidate in 2012.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,23942.0−16.5
Labour1,145
Labour1,061
Liberal Democrats74125.1+11.1
Conservative69223.4+10.0
UKIP62021.0N/A
Conservative584
Liberal Democrats540
Liberal Democrats479
Conservative249
Plaid Cymru2358.0−2.5
Plaid Cymru211
Plaid Cymru196
UKIP193
UKIP172
2,95126.6+4.6
11,089
Labour hold
Labour hold
Labour hold
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative2,90541.5+0.3
Conservative2,900
Conservative2,856
Conservative2,753
Labour2,70038.6−2.6
Labour2,488
Labour2,461
Labour2,234
Plaid Cymru96213.8+3.4
Plaid Cymru951
Plaid Cymru885
Plaid Cymru856
Liberal Democrats5407.7+3.4
Liberal Democrats516
Liberal Democrats365
Liberal Democrats312
6,99455.6+13.1
12,589
Conservative gain from Labour
Conservative gain from Labour
Conservative gain from Labour
Conservative gain from Labour
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Plaid Cymru83143.1+17.8
Labour77940.4−7.1
Conservative27114.1−2.4
Liberal Democrats462.4−6.2
522.7N/A
1,92720.3−9.2
9,482
Plaid Cymru gain from Labour

The by-election was caused by the death of Labour councillor Jim Murphy on 1 December 2018.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats1,92055.3+18.9
Conservative83824.1−11.9
Labour56016.1−3.3
Plaid Cymru1524.4N/A
1,08231.1+13.4
3,48442.1−1.2
8,268
Liberal Democrats hold+15.4

The by-election was caused by the death of Liberal Democrat Councillor Wendy Congreve on 14 May 2019.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative1,54436.4−4.5
Labour1,19028.0−10.0
Plaid Cymru67415.9+2.3
Liberal Democrats58813.9+6.3
Green2485.8−2.3
3548.4+3.2
4,24433.7−11.7
12,589
Conservative hold+2.7

The by-election was caused by the death of Conservative councillor Tim Davies on 4 June 2019.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative1,56643.4+6.3
Labour1,25434.7−1.2
Liberal Democrats38710.7+3.1
Plaid Cymru2095.8−2.7
Green1383.8−3.0
Independent591.6N/A
3128.7N/A
3,61327.3−18.9
13,227
Conservative gain from Labour

The by-election was caused by the resignation of Labour councillor Phil Bale in Autumn 2019.

PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour1,72947.1+16.1
Conservative1,12830.8+2.5
Liberal Democrats56115.3+11.5
Plaid Cymru2506.8+0.5
60116.3N/A
3,66838.4−16.6
9,552
Labour gain from Independent

The by-election was caused by the resignation of Councillor Fenella Bowden, who stepped down for health reasons in September 2021.

Neil McEvoy was expelled by Plaid Cymru for 18 months on 19 March 2018, and then sat under the label "Fairwater Cardiff West". In February 2020 he formed the Welsh National Party, later to become "Propel" along with 3 other former Plaid Cymru councillors. One of those, Ely councillor Andrea Gibson, later left the party and sat as an Independent.

An Electoral Review undertaken by the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales recommended an increase to the total number of council seats in Cardiff from 75 to 79 ahead of the next election. The changes were accepted with only slight modification, to take effect from the 2022 council election.

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