Council elections 2022: Welsh Conservatives launch campaign

The Welsh Conservatives will promise to build "stronger, safer communities", when they launch their local election campaign on Thursday.

At an event in Llandudno, party Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies will announce the Tories are fielding their highest number of candidates - 669 - on 5 May.

They were the biggest gainers in the previous Welsh local elections, in 2017, and have more to defend now.

Five years ago the Conservatives took majority control of Monmouthshire.

They have cabinet members in ruling coalitions in Powys, Wrexham and Conwy as well as Denbighshire, where they became the largest group in 2017.

They also became the biggest group of councillors in Vale of Glamorgan, leading the authority for two years.

But Labour returned to power there in 2019, as head of a coalition, after internal rows resulted in eight councillors, including six cabinet members, quitting the Tory group.

In the 2017 local elections, the Conservatives increased their number of councillors across 12 of Wales' 22 authorities, including notably better performances in Cardiff and Bridgend and raising their total number of Welsh council seats by 80 to 184.

On Thursday, Mr Davies will describe the last decade as one in which there has been "incredible growth in the number of Welsh Conservatives standing up for Wales at a local, Senedd and Westminster level".

"This year will see that expansion continue to thrive, with the Welsh Conservative fielding the most candidates ever at Welsh local elections," he will say.

"Across Wales, local Welsh Conservative councillors are working hard delivering for their communities.

"I'm delighted that more people than ever before will be able to vote for local champions that will deliver stronger, safer communities."

Whatever the issues are in their patch, you can rarely divorce local parties' electoral fortunes from the bigger political story across the UK.

How voters might see Boris Johnson's prime ministership in relation to the cost of living crisis, the war in Ukraine and the continuing developments over Westminster parties held during Covid restrictions could be crucial.

Commenting on Thursday's local elections launch, Welsh Secretary Simon Hart MP said the UK Conservative government was "delivering for Wales, investing hundreds of millions of pounds into creating jobs, safeguarding community assets, and boosting infrastructure".

"Just last year, ten projects across Wales benefitted from more than £120m, including regenerating Aberystwyth's old college and marina, making visitor improvements at Haverfordwest Castle, and dualling part of the A4119 at Coed-Ely," he said.

"It is only by working together can we ensure that Wales bounces back from the pandemic, delivering well-paid, long-term jobs for everyone."

Wales will be electing councillors in each of its 22 local authorities next month.

There are also elections taking place in parts of England, in Scotland and Northern Ireland.