Reform councillor raised in care now 'county’s youngest ever councillor'

Lewis Smith Local Democracy Reporter

A shock council by-election win for Reform in one part of south Wales has made history with the area’s youngest ever member being elected.

Reform UK councillor Owain Clatworthy, aged just 20, was voted in as councillor for Bridgend County Borough in May of 2025, for the Pyle, Kenfig Hill and Cefn Cribwr ward, following the resignation of former Labour councillor Mike Kearn.

He clinched the win with a narrow margin of only 30 votes on the night, edging out the second placed Labour candidate Gary Chappell.

His election came just weeks before the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, visited the nearby town of Port Talbot to kick-start the party’s Senedd election campaign, claiming they expected to not only win seats, but to also win enough to govern Wales.

The latest council vote now makes Owain the youngest ever member in the borough of Bridgend since it was formed in April 1996, where he says he is eager to represent residents of his local ward to the best of his ability.

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Raised in care

He says that living in care for more than 10 years of his life proved that your past doesn’t define your future.

Speaking with the Local Democracy Reporting Service in a recent interview, Cllr Clatworthy said: “I was born and raised in Kenfig Hill during my early childhood up until the age of six when I was moved in to social services, living all over in different foster placements as well as at a children’s home in Porthcawl.

“Just three years ago I was on Universal Credit living in a young persons’ supported accommodation, trying to figure out where to get a food bank voucher from so I’m incredibly humbled and proud to be where I am now.

“A lot of young people who go through the care system end up in cycles of being out of work or with drug and alcohol problems, so I really want to champion these issues and show what can be done.

“Of course it’s taken time, but I was able to find a job as a support worker, which is something I’m very passionate about, along with some volunteering work at the Porthcawl food-bank and that has led me to this point.

“I was living a peaceful life about three months ago but then I was looking at the news and thinking I couldn’t just stand back any more, and I could either moan and complain about things or go out and get involved.

“I came in to politics because I want to make a change and serve members of the public in a way that makes a difference – not just to talk about it, but to actually take action.

“I’m not a career politician with scripted answers, I’m just me and I think that’s what people want. I’m sure some will stereotype me because I’m young but I’ve got life experience and I think we need more young people involved in politics to have a mix of new ideas with experience.”

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"Waste"

Councillor Clatworthy has also been joined by other Reform Councillors across Wales in the months since his election, with a by-election win in Llanelli as well as in Merthyr where two independent councillors defected to the party.

When it comes to Bridgend, Owain added that he is also optimistic the party could take more seats in the authority at the 2027 local council elections.

He said: “As I’m on my own at the moment people know that I can’t promise the world to do this or that, but I can be a voice for those who have felt ignored over the years and hold the council to account.

“Local issues I heard on the doors focused on council tax increases as people feel they are paying more out but getting less in return, but mainly they want to know where their money is going.

“I’ll be working on that from now until 2027 when the auditors will be shipped in to look at where the waste is and how we can better manage our money. Momentum is definitely on our side and I really believe we will win this council in 2027.”