A HIGH-PROFILE Reform UK councillor has been removed from a community council for failing to attend its meetings.
A vacancy has now been declared which could result in a second by-election in less than three years to fill the seat previously held by Councillor David Thomas on Cwmbran Community Council.
Cllr Thomas is the leader of the Reform UK Wales group on Torfaen Borough Council. He and two other previously independent councillors joined Reform shortly after the 2024 general election, giving the Nigel Farage-led party its first local government representatives in Wales while Cllr Thomas is also its regional director for Wales.
As well as being a member of the borough council, for which Cllr Thomas is paid £23,726 which includes a senior salary as the leader of a political group, he had served as a volunteer councillor on the Cwmbran council.
Though he represents the town’s Llantarnam ward on the borough council he was elected, as an independent candidate, to represent the Two Locks ward on the community council at a by-election in September 2023. He defeated candidates from Labour, the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats amassing 217 votes and a majority of 27 over Labour.
However he has now been removed from the volunteer council as he hadn’t turned up for enough meetings in the past six months.
Cllr Thomas, who along with his borough council ward colleagues and Reform councillors Alan Slade and Jason O’Connell was last week presented with plaques from the Wales Gurkha Community for supporting its members, blamed his time being “increasingly stretched” for failing to fulfil his obligation to attend community council meetings.
He also cited voluntary work he undertakes alongside his council duties which include responding to residents and undertaking casework as well as taking part in meetings, when asked why he’d failed to attend and if he regretted the potential cost of a by-election.
Cllr Thomas said: “As a father, local business owner, and Torfaen Borough Councillor for Llantarnam, my time is increasingly stretched. I dedicate a great deal of my time to direct action in the community, from resolving long standing public safety issues and clearing overgrown alleyways to jetwashing walls and organising litter picks, as well as supporting vulnerable residents and working with council officers to deliver for local people.
“This is extremely rewarding work and I’m proud every day to serve my community and the fantastic people who live here.
“I remain fully committed to serving our community and am proud of the tangible improvements we’ve made together. My focus now is on continuing that work as your borough councillor. I have no intention of standing down from this role.”
Cllr Thomas also confirmed he won’t be standing in May’s Senedd elections, having already ruled himself out as a candidate in a post to social media site X.
Cwmbran Community Council clerk Gareth Davies confirmed Cllr Thomas is no longer a member of the council, on which his status remained as an independent, and he had informed Torfaen Borough Council.
Mr Davies said: “The seat was vacated by Cllr Thomas due to lack of attendance for six months under the provision of Section 85 Local Government Act 1972. This was an automatic trigger requiring myself as clerk to notify the lead authority of a casual vacancy.
“The council was aware of Cllr Thomas joining Reform but no request to formally change his status from Independent to Reform was ever received, hence the Independent status.”
The borough council has posted a notice of vacancy for the Two Locks ward and a by-election will be held if 10 electors from the ward submit requests to it by 5pm on Wednesday, January 14.
If the required requests aren’t received the community council will fill the vacancy by co-opting a candidate who its remaining members will select themselves.
£10,000 to £12,000
In a recent submission to the borough council Blaenavon Town Council estimated potential costs for a community by-election could range from £10,000 to £12,000, including expenses for polling stations, postal votes, poll cards, and staffing.