Independent Candidate Jonathan Millard Wins Ebbw South By-Election by 115 Votes

INDEPENDENT candidate Jonathan Millard is making a comeback after winning the Ebbw South by-election by a margin of 115 votes.
On Friday morning, February 9, Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council staff counted up the votes at the General Office in Ebbw Vale.
Mr Millard topped the poll receiving 239 votes.
Labour’s Amy Smith came second with 124 votes, and Green Party candidate Jonathan Powell received 33 votes.
This means that less than two years after losing his seat as a councillor in the May 2022 local elections Cllr Millard makes a return to the county borough council.
During his last stint on the authority Cllr Millard was a member of the Minority Independent group.
Cllr Millard said on social media: “Elected with 60 per cent of the vote.
“To all who have supported and voted for me, thank you.”
Friends and former council colleagues have congratulated Cllr Millard.
Former councillor Keith Pritchard who was Mr Millard’s agent for the campaign said: “Congratulations my good friend.”
The by-election was needed following the resignation in November of Labour councillor for the ward and the council’s cost of living champion, Carl Bainton.
Mr Bainton’s resignation was due to a clash between his work and role as a councillor.
He had been originally elected in May 2022 as an Independent but within days defected to join the Labour group. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​