Pontypool Community Council By-election this week
Both Rogers had been elected as Labour councillors for the Abersychan and Cwmavon ward. The by‑election is open to all registered voters aged 16 and over in the…
Voters in Pontypool will head to the polls Thursday 8 October to fill two vacant community council seats. The vacancies arise after husband and wife Jules and Bob Rogers were automatically removed in August for missing meetings for six months.
Both Rogers had been elected as Labour councillors for the Abersychan and Cwmavon ward. The by‑election is open to all registered voters aged 16 and over in the community.
Polls will be open from 07:00 until 22:00 across four designated polling stations. Voters can cast their ballot at Cwmavon Village Hall, Victoria Village Community Hall, Trinity Methodist Chapel in Abersychan, or Talywain RFC.
Reform UK is the only political party to field candidates in the contest. Its two nominees are Matt Ford and Andy Millard.
The remaining four candidates are listed as independent or non‑affiliated. Lloyd Hughes, one of the independents, previously belonged to Restore Britain, a party founded by former Reform MP Rupert Lowe.
Hughes is standing without a party description on the ballot paper. Former Labour councillor Giles Davies is also running as an independent.
Davies represents the Abersychan ward on Torfaen Borough Council and resigned from the Labour group in 2023. He previously served on Pontypool Community Council, giving him experience of the body he seeks to re‑join.
The third independent candidate is Ali Henderson. The fourth, Fraser James Henderson, has provided no description on the nomination form.
The by‑election follows a period of scrutiny over council attendance, prompting the removal of the Rogers duo. Council officials confirmed that the six‑month non‑attendance rule is applied automatically under community council regulations.
The decision to trigger the vacancies was taken after the Rogers failed to attend any meetings between February and July. No appeal against the removal was lodged, and the seats were declared vacant in August.
The community council, which meets monthly, is responsible for local amenities, planning input and community projects.