Caerphilly County Borough Council

History

The council was former in April 1996 following the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 by merging Islwyn Borough Council and the Rhymney Valley District Council.

In September 2025, Sean Morgan resigned from Welsh Labour and hence leader of the council in order to back Plaid Cymru in the 2025 Caerphilly by-election.

Political control

The council has been under Labour majority control since 2012.

The first election to the new council was held in 1995. It initially operated as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows:

Leadership

The role of Mayor of Caerphilly is largely ceremonial. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The first leader, Graham Court, was the last leader of the old Rhymney Valley District Council. The leaders of Caerphilly County Borough Council since 1996 have been:

Composition

Following the 2022 election, and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to December 2025, the composition of the council was:

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

Party with the most elected councillors in bold. Coalition agreements in notes column

Premises

The council inherited two main offices from its predecessor authorities: Ystrad Fawr House at Ystrad Mynach from Rhymney Valley District Council, and Pontllanfraith House in Pontllanfraith from Islwyn Borough Council. Ystrad Fawr House was demolished in 2008 to make way for the Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr hospital. A new headquarters was built at Penallta House in the Tredomen area of Ystrad Mynach (in the community of Gelligaer), opening in April 2008. The other office at Pontllanfraith House subsequently closed in 2015 and has since been demolished.

Electoral divisions

The county borough is divided into 30 electoral wards returning 69 councillors. Many of these wards are coterminous with communities (parishes) of the same name. The following table lists council wards, communities and community ward areas.

Former wards

Until 2022, the county borough was divided into 33 electoral wards returning 73 councillors. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':

Allegations of misconduct

In 2015 Anthony O'Sullivan, the chief executive and two other executives were charged with misconduct during public office. It was alleged that they specifically 'wilfully misconducted themselves in relation to securing Caerphilly County Borough Council's approval of a remuneration package for the said council's chief officers from which they stood to gain for themselves'.

Relating to this and other failings the Welsh Assembly commissioned a special report on the council in January 2014.

References

References

1. "Council minutes, 8 May 2025".
2. (1 February 2025). "Caerphilly County Borough Council appoints new chief executive". South Wales Argus.
3. "Local Government (Wales) Act 1994".
4. "Caerphilly County Borough Council, Records".
5. (11 September 2025). "Caerphilly leader quits Labour and backs Plaid for by-election". BBC News.
6. "Compositions Calculator". University of Exeter.
7. (20 July 1995). "Bay, Valley in new link-up". Cardiff Post.
8. "Council minutes, 1 April 1996".
9. (6 April 1999). "Authorities braced to take action". South Wales Echo.
10. "Council minutes, 20 May 1999".
11. (11 June 2004). "Mixed fortunes for Labour". BBC News.
12. "Council minutes, 24 June 2004".
13. "Council minutes, 15 May 2008".
14. (11 May 2011). "Caerphilly leader to stay for replacement". South Wales Argus.
15. "Council minutes, 24 May 2011".
16. (24 May 2011). "New leader of Caerphilly Borough Council elected". Caerphilly Observer.
17. (11 May 2012). "Former Caerphilly Council leader Allan Pritchard". Caerphilly Observer.
18. (25 April 2014). "Caerphilly Council leader Harry Andrews to retire". Caerphilly Observer.
19. "Council minutes, 8 May 2014".
20. (10 April 2017). "Tributes paid following death of Caerphilly council leader Keith Reynolds". South Wales Argus.
21. "Council minutes, 18 May 2017".
22. (19 May 2017). "This is who has been named the new leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council". Wales Online.
23. (20 September 2019). "Caerphilly council leader resigns as investigation launched". Wales Online.
24. "Council minutes, 19 November 2019".
25. (6 May 2022). "Caerphilly Council Election 2022: Leader loses her seat". Caerphilly Observer.
26. "Council minutes, 19 May 2022".
27. (20 May 2022). "Caerphilly councillors appoint new leader". Nation Cymru.
28. Service, Nicholas Thomas-Local Democracy Reporting. (2025-11-12). "Message of unity from council’s new leader".
29. "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections emails".
30. "Caerphilly". Thorncliffe.
31. "Caerphilly County Borough Council Election Result 1995-2012". [[Plymouth University]].
32. (5 May 2017). "Council Election 2017: Labour keep hold of power in Caerphilly County Borough".
33. "Caerphilly result - Local Elections 2022". BBC News.
34. (24 July 2008). "£28m for a leaky building". Wales Online.
35. (2016). "Pontllanfraith House Site Development Brief".
36. (23 January 2015). "Caerphilly Council's Pontllanfraith House closure takes a step closer". Caerphilly Observer.
37. [https://ldbc.gov.wales/sites/ldbc/files/review/Cfly%20Final%20Report%20V13.pdf Final report] ldbc.gov.wales {{Dead link. (August 2023)
38. "NAMES AND AREAS OF AND NUMBERS OF COUNCILLORS FOR NEW ELECTORAL DIVISIONS".
39. Claire Hayhurst. (5 January 2015). "Caerphilly council chief executive Anthony O'Sullivan appears in court charged with misconduct over pay rise". Wales Online.
40. "Caerphilly council pay-row probe to take six months - and cost up to £28,000".
41. (6 March 2013). "Council fatcat broke the law by giving himself a £26,000 pay rise".
42. "Caerphilly County Borough Council Special Inspection Report 2013".