Newport City Council
Newport City Council is the governing body for Newport, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. It consists of 50 councillors, who represent the city's 20 wards.
The council is currently, and has historically been, held by the Labour Party. However from 2008 to 2012 the council was controlled jointly by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats due to their being no party with an overall majority.
The Council has been the governing body since 2002, prior to which the area was governed since 1996 by the unitary authority of Newport County Borough Council.
Political makeup
Elections take place every five years. The last election was 4 May 2017.In March 2017 a new political party, the Newport Independents Party, was formed to field candidates in the May 2017 election. It won four seats.
Current composition
Current composition as of 6 May 2019.Re-elected councillors in bold:
Historic results
| Year | Labour | Conservative | Liberal Democrats | Plaid Cymru | Newport Ind. | Independent | Notes |
| 2017 | 31 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 37 | 10 | 1 | 0 | - | 2 | |
| 2008 | 22 | 17 | 9 | 1 | - | 1 | Six seats decided via deferred election on 5 June 2008 |
| 2004 | 31 | 11 | 6 | 1 | - | 1 | |
| 2003 | 37 | 6 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | |
| 1999 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 0 | - | 2 | Council of 47 seats |
| 1995 | 46 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 0 |
Municipal history
Newport is an ancient mesne borough, occupying an important position on the Welsh Marches. The town grew up round the castle built early in the 12th century. Giraldus Cambrensis, writing in 1187, calls it Novus Burgus, probably to distinguish it from Caerleon, whose prosperity declined as that of Newport increased. The first lord was Robert Fitzhamon, who died in 1107, and from him the lordship passed to the Earls of Gloucester and Stafford and the Dukes of Buckingham. Hugh le Despenser, who held the lordship for a short time, obtained in 1323 a charter of liberties for the burgesses, granting them freedom from toll throughout England, Ireland and Aquitaine. Hugh, Earl of Stafford granted a further charter in 1385, confirmed by his grandson in 1427, which gave the burgesses the right of self-government and of a merchant gild. On the attainder of the Duke of Buckingham in 1483 the lordship lapsed to the crown, of whom it was held in the 16th and 17th centuries by the Pembrokes, and in the 19th by the Beauforts.The town was incorporated by Royal Charter of James I in 1623 and confirmed by Charles II in 1685. This created a Corporation which consisted of a mayor and twelve aldermen who governed the Borough and were responsible for law and order. They were assisted by a Recorder and two Bailiffs. This system of government lasted in essence until the passing of the Municipal Corporations Act 1835. This reconstituted the Corporation as an elected Borough Council, comprising a mayor, aldermen and councillors. The Newport Borough Police were formed a year later.
In 1934 the Borough grew in size by taking in parts of the surrounding parishes of St. Woolos, Christchurch, Malpas and Bettws.
When modern local government was introduced by the Local Government Act 1888 it was one of the first places to become a county borough, and thus became administratively independent of Monmouthshire. The new Newport Civic Centre, designed by architect Thomas Cecil Howitt, was completed in 1964.
The situation persisted until 1974 when, due to local government reorganisation and the abolition of county boroughs, it became a non-metropolitan borough, governed by both Newport Borough Council and Gwent County Council. In 1996, another wave of local-government reorganisation reverted the council to its previous status of a self-governing county borough. In 2002 Newport was granted formal city status as part of a contest for the Queen's Golden Jubilee in 2002, in which one Welsh town was eligible to be awarded city status.
Wards
The city is divided into 20 wards, since May 2004 electing 50 councillors. Most of these wards are coterminous with communities of the same name. Each community can have an elected council. The following table lists city council wards, communities and associated geographical areas. Communities with a community council are indicated with a '*':| Ward | Communities | Other geographic areas |
| Allt-yr-yn | Allt-yr-yn | Ridgeway, Barrack Hill, Glasllwch, Gold Tops |
| Alway | Alway | Somerton, Lawrence Hill |
| Beechwood | Beechwood | Eveswell |
| Bettws | Bettws | - |
| Caerleon | Caerleon | Christchurch, Bulmore |
| Gaer | Gaer | Maesglas, Stelvio, St. Davids |
| Graig | Graig* | Rhiwderin, Bassaleg, Lower Machen, Pentre Poeth, Fox Hill |
| Langstone | Langstone*, Llanvaches*, Penhow* | Llanmartin, Parc Seymour, Wentwood Forest, Coed-y-caerau, Cat's Ash, Llanbedr, Whitebrook |
| Llanwern | Bishton, Goldcliff*, Llanwern*, Redwick* | Underwood, Whitson, Summerleaze, Wilcrick, Saltmarsh, Milton, Porton |
| Lliswerry | Lliswerry, Nash* | Broadmead Park, Moorland Park, Uskmouth, Broadstreet Common |
| Malpas | Malpas | - |
| Marshfield | Coedkernew*, Marshfield*, Michaelstone-y-Fedw*, Wentloog* | Castleton, St. Brides, Blacktown, Peterstone |
| Pillgwenlly | Pillgwenlly | Level of Mendalgief |
| Ringland | Ringland | Bishpool, Treberth, Coldra |
| Rogerstone | Rogerstone* | High Cross, Cefn Wood, Croesllanfro, Mount Pleasant |
| Shaftesbury | Shaftesbury | Brynglas, Crindau, Marshes, Blaen-y-pant |
| St. Julian's | St. Julian's | Riverside, Barnardtown |
| Stow Hill | Stow Hill | St. Woolos, Baneswell, City centre |
| Tredegar Park | Tredegar Park | Duffryn |
| Victoria | Victoria | Maindee, Summerhill |
Sites
- Newport Civic Centre
- Mansion House
In the news
It was announced in July 2019 that Council Chief Executive Will Godfrey would be resigning in early October after six years to take over at Bath and North East Somerset Council. The Council have stated that as of September 2019, more time is needed to find a replacement, and that an interim CEO will be in place for six to twelve months.
The Council instructed the operators of new "pod" accommodation for homeless people in the city to take down the facilities August 2019 until they were subject to safety inspections and certification.
In September 2019 the council were criticised for delays in arranging school transport for those attending the independent Priory College South Wales at Coleg Gwent in Pontypool.
The Council were reported in September 2019 as being involved in a new trial with Sustrans Cymru, aimed at improving safety outside city primary schools through use of temporary barriers, road and pavement painting, and temporary school crossings.
In September 2019 the Council's then leader Debbie Wilcox was announced as a Labour life peer as part of Theresa May's 2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours. She confirmed later that month that she would be stepping down as Leader of the Council, with a successor to be named.
The Council announced in September 2019 that the city's Market Arcade would be closed due to anti-social behaviour, after the Council secured a Public Spaces Protection order to take effect daily from 8pm until 7am. The move came after complaints about city centre drug abuse, property damage, and noise.
The Council has received £4m in Welsh Government funds to pursue a footbridge replacement over Newport railway station, connecting Devon Place and Queensway. It is projected for completion in 2020.