A byelection was declared following the death of Cllr Jordan Ryan, a former Labour councillor who later became and unaffiliated independent member.
In a seven-way battle for the Fishguard North-East ward the results declared on February 10 were: Caleb Charles Churchill, Welsh Liberal Democrats, 135; Paul Stephen Howe, Welsh Labour, 83; Peter Martin John, commonly known as Peter John, Reform UK, 95; Brian Andrew Murphy, commonly known as Brian Murphy, Welsh Conservative Party, 69; Teresa Ruth Tannahill, commonly known as Teresa Tannahill, Independent, 79; Adrian John Adrian Tyrrell , commonly known as Adrian Tyrrell, Independent, 35; and William Cuthbert Linton Shaw, commonly known as Billy Shaw, Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales 253.
Cllr Shaw’s election will see Plaid now having three county councillors in Pembrokeshire.
The-now Cllr Shaw said: “Thank you to the residents of Fishguard North East for electing me to represent them as their county councillor.
“I take over the mantle after the passing of the previous incumbent, Jordan Ryan, whose passing shocked us all. He was an excellent ambassador for Fishguard and I hope to do his memory proud. Now the hard work begins.”
Liberal Democrat candidate Caleb Churchill, who finished second, said: “Fishguard saw one of its highest turnouts to date, and not only in Fishguard: it was also one of the highest turnouts across Pembrokeshire in some time. That level of engagement is something we can all be proud of.
“I’m incredibly proud of the hard work my colleagues and I put into this campaign, and grateful for the support, encouragement, and conversations along the way. I also wish to make a special thanks to my agent throughout this campaign, Thomas Hughes.
“As a first-time candidate, Tom has guided me through this journey and been incredibly patient and supportive – and I’m proud to call him my friend.
“Most of all, I want to thank my wonderful wife, and amazing little girl, for their patience, support, and understanding throughout the campaign, I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Cllr Jordan, Fishguard’s youngest-ever mayor, who “cared deeply about politics, social justice and equality,” died last November.
Fishguard North East ward member since 2022, Cllr Jordan Ryan was one of 10 Labour Party members on the county council, before announcing his resignation in late September, saying there is a need to build a new socialist party as Labour is failing to challenge “the forces of the far right on the march”.
Since leaving the Labour group, Cllr Ryan had sat as an unaffiliated member, offering to be “a critical friend of the current administration”.
Paying tribute to Cllr Jordan last year, Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey said: “Jordan was a man of values and principles who was extremely proud to represent his constituents of the Fishguard North East ward.
“His passionate and thoughtful contributions to council meetings will be sorely missed by every member, no matter their political colours.”
Perhaps the last words should go to the late Cllr Ryan, who said his politics followed the Christian teaching of “feed the poor, heal the sick, love thy neighbour and share the wealth”.
In his call for a new socialism, he quoted poet Percy Blythe Shelly’s work The Masque of Anarchy, a response to the 1810 Peterloo massacre.
“Rise like lions after slumber, in unvanquishable number, shake your chains to earth like dew, which in sleep had fallen on you, ye are many – they are few.”
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