Two by-elections for Monmouth Town Council have seen the dynamic mix of political parties change.

Dani Seymour was elected on a Conservative ticket to Monmouth Town Council following a by-election in the town’s Drybridge ward.

Ms Seymour secured 62 per cent of the vote, defeating the Independent candidate, Laura McCartney who received 38 per cent. The result represents a gain for the Welsh Conservatives.

Steve Lewis was elected unopposed to the Osbaston Ward following the resignation of Cllr Emily Fairman after only the Conservatives submitted nomination papers in time.

He told the Beacon: “I’m very pleased to have been elected to serve the residents of Osbaston and the Buckholt and look forward to working with Cllr Jane Lucas and the wider team to do the very best we can for the town.”

This leaves the Conservatives the largest single party on the council with an equal number of Independent candidates and Labour trailing behind with five, having not contested any seats for two years.

The council has had a checkered history of power beginning with the May 2017 elections when seven Indy Monmouth councillors took control following a set of disastrous results for the Conservatives when some retired and some lost their seats.

Indy councillors held both Town Mayor and deputy Town Mayor posts.

In the next elections in 2022, following a boundary reshuffle, only five of the available 19 available seats were filled and the town council became effectively a lame duck as it did not have sufficient members to be quorate and make decisions.

Monmouth Town Council was left temporarily unable to operate or meet

Some Community Councils were also hollowed out as a result of the backlash against the unpopular boundary revisions with all of the members of Llangattack-Vibon-Avel Community Council stood down when it was swallowed up and merged with Llantilio Crosenny to form two new councils - Whitecastle and Skenfrith, which also struggled to attract people willing to stand.

With the latest by-elections for the town, the swing back to Conservative has left them in a more powerful position, mirroring the recent changes at county council level where Conservative and Labour now hold the same number of seats, with the balance of power held by Green member Ian Chandler.

Described during the by-election campaign as a “community champion”, Ms Seymour said she was grateful to residents for putting their trust in her and pledged to represent the interests of people across the ward.

Despite Drybridge being a Labour-held ward on the County Council, Labour didn’t contest the by-election, making it the sixteenth consecutive by-election in Monmouthshire to not be contested by Labour.

A lifelong Monmouth resident, Ms Seymour said, “I’m really grateful to residents for putting their trust in me to be their new town councillor.”

She stood on a platform of opposing any council tax increase, campaigning for cuts to business rates, wanting to resurface Watery Lane and supporting the review of potholes.

This could all change with the next set of elections due in May 2027.