Plaid Cymru has held a Ceredigion County Council seat in Llanbadarn following a by-election triggered by the tragic death of a popular councillor earlier this year.

Three candidates put themselves forward for the by-election in the Llanbadarn Fawr Sulien ward, with voters going to the polls on Thursday, 18 July.

The ward had been held for 15 years since its inception by long-serving councillor Paul James who died in April after the bicycle he was riding was involved in a two-car collision in Bow Street.

More than 1,000 people turned out for Cllr James’ funeral. In a low election turnout of 38.16 per cent, with just 294 residents registering a vote, Plaid Cymru candidate Matthew Woolfall-Jones was elected to take over the seat with 63.3 per cent of the vote.

Mr Woolfall-Jones, who lives in Capel Dewi and works in the office of Ceredigion AM Elin Jones, had the backing of the late Cllr James’ family.

While Mr Woolfall-Jones’ vote share for Plaid fell from the previous election by more than seven per cent, it was enough to see him take his place on the council, which is led by a Plaid/Independent coalition.

He told the Cambrian News that it is “an honour” to be elected, saying the by-election had been “really tough”.

“Paul James’ hard work and commitment to every one of his residents was raised constantly on the doorstep, whether people voted for him or not – and most of them did,” he said.

See this week’s Aberystwyth paper for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition now