Election result
Labour maintained control of the authority following these elections, gaining their highest popular vote since 1995, but ending up with a reduced number of seats. The Conservatives achieved their best result since the unitary council was created in 1995, winning twenty seats and replacing the Liberal Democrats as the official opposition on the council. Plaid Cymru also secured their highest popular vote, despite standing in fewer seats than in 2012, but only won three seats. The Liberal Democrats in Cardiff suffered their worst election result in terms of total seats won (eleven) since 1995, whilst the local Green Party failed to win its first seat on the council, suffering a fall in support when compared to the 2012 election. The only independent candidate to be elected was Fenella Bowden in the Heath ward, who will become Cardiff Council's longest serving independent councillor during the council term. The only member of the original council elected in 1995 who had served continuously since then is Russell Goodway, former leader of the Council, who was again returned for the Ely ward. Others elected in 1995 but who had not remained members continuously included Graham Hinchey, Susan Lent, Sarah Merry, Lynda Thorne (Labour) and Fenella Bowden (LD/Independent). Leader of the Plaid Cymru group, Neil McEvoy, was the only party leader to remain in post immediately after the election. Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Elizabeth Clark lost her Cathays seat to Labour. Conservative group leader, David Walker, also stood down immediately after the elections. Council leader and leader of the Labour group prior to the election, Phil Bale, was replaced by Splott councillor Huw Thomas.Manifestos
The four largest political groups on Cardiff Council produced manifestos for the 2017 local election campaign. The Heath Independents committed to six pledges ahead of the election. The ''South Wales Echo'' also interviewed the four largest political group leaders prior to election day. Cardiff LabourWard results
Adamsdown (2 seats)
Butetown (1 seat)
Caerau (2 seats)
Canton (3 seats)
Cathays (4 seats)
Labour won all four seats. Ali Ahmed previously represented Butetown.Creigiau & St. Fagans (1 seat)
Cyncoed (3 seats)
Ely (3 seats)
Fairwater (3 seats)
Gabalfa (2 seats)
Grangetown (3 seats)
Plaid Cymru lost a seat they had gained in a by-election in November 2016.Heath (3 seats)
The independent candidates stood again as Heath & Birchgrove Independents.Lisvane (1 seat)
Llandaff (2 seats)
Llandaff North (2 seats)
Llanishen (4 seats)
Llanrumney (3 seats)
Pentwyn (4 seats)
Pentyrch (1 seat)
Penylan (3 seats)
Plasnewydd (4 seats)
The Liberal Democrats lost a seat they had gained in a by-election.Pontprennau and Old St. Mellons (2 seats)
Radyr (1 seat)
Rhiwbina (3 seats)
Two of the three Independent councillors elected in 2012 rejoined the Conservatives in 2015 and the third Independent was defeated by a Conservative in this election.Riverside (3 seats)
Rumney (2 seats)
Splott (3 seats)
Trowbridge (3 seats)
Ralph Cook was elected as a Labour candidate in 2012.Whitchurch and Tongwynlais (4 seats)
By-elections between 2017 and 2022
Ely
The by-election was caused by the death of Labour councillor Jim Murphy on 1 December 2018.Cyncoed
The by-election was caused by the death of Liberal Democrat Councillor Wendy Congreve on 14 May 2019.Whitchurch & Tongwynlais
The by-election was caused by the death of Conservative councillor Tim Davies on 4 June 2019.Llanishen
The by-election was caused by the resignation of Labour councillor Phil Bale in Autumn 2019.Heath
The by-election was cause by the resignation of Councillor Fenella Bowden, who stepped down for health reasons in September 2021.Other changes between 2017 and 2021
References
{{United Kingdom local elections, 2017