Plaid Cymru retain overall control of Gwynedd

There was high stakes drama at the Gwynedd election count with one of the wards being decided by lottery.

After the vote for Hendre ward in Bangor finished in a tie the returning officer had to resort to picking a ballot out of the box with winner with Independent Richard Hughes beating John Wynn Jones of Plaid Cymru.

But there was no such drama in the overall result for the county as Plaid Cymru comfortably retained overall control.

The party gained two seats to have 41 councillors with independents winning 26, Llais Gwynedd getting six and Labour and the Liberal Democrats holding one seat each out of a total of 75.

The Independents also had a good election gaining five seats, up from 21.

Labour lost three seats – leaving Sion Jones, Bethel as their sole councillor while the Lib-Dems also lost one and are left with Stephen Churchman, Garndolbenmaen as their only representative.

The biggest cheers of the day came when Mair Rowlands and Catrin Wager picked up seats in Bangor; Cai Larsen took Seiont and Judith Humphreys won Penygroes, beating Llais Gwynedd taxi owner Huw John Edwards.

Nineteen seats were uncontested with two new members Dafydd Owen, Tregarth/Mynydd Llandygai and Menna Baines, Pentir, both Plaid Cymru also taking up uncontested seats.