A COMMUNITY council in the Swansea Valley is co-opting a new member after a councillor who was elected in May forgot to sign an acceptance form in time.
Wez Morgan was co-opted as a Clydach community councillor in 2018 and was elected to continue in this role at the local Government elections on May 5.
Newly-elected councillors must sign a declaration of acceptance of office, but Mr Morgan didn’t.
“The time lapsed for me for one reason or another,” he said. “That’s what happened. That’s why I’ve had to drop out. It was quite a busy time for me. There’s no excuse really. But I don’t feel disheartened by it.”
Mr Morgan said the architectural practice he runs, which was set up three years ago, was very busy.
“My life is completely full, I’ve got a young family – that’s not to say I won’t stand for election again,” he said.
The 36-year-old, of Ynystawe, was the only Labour community councillor in Clydach prior to the May elections. There are now four.
Mr Morgan said he kept in touch with these councillors, and that he would be happy to help arrange community events if asked.
Council election candidates receive an information pack which includes a section about the requirement to sign an acceptance form if they are successful.
Winning candidates in Clydach received an email from the community council congratulating them and reminding them they needed to sign the form.
Mr Morgan did not attend the first three council meetings after the election, at which point the process was put in place to replace him.
The process includes advertising that there is a vacancy and notifying the electoral officer at Swansea Council. At this point, as laid down by legislation, voters in Clydach had 14 working days to request an election – it needs 10 or more voters to bring this about.
In this instance, an election wasn’t requested so the community council, which has 16 councillor seats and levies a precept of around £140,000 per year, will co-opt a new member.
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