Leader Of Council To Stand Down

The Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, Cllr Keith Reynolds, has announced that he is standing down in May after 38 years in local government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Emerging health issues have led Keith to make the difficult decision ahead of this year’s council elections, which will take place on 4th May. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“I am extremely proud and honoured to have represented the community of Aberbargoed for the last four decades and I would like to say a huge thank you to all those who supported me throughout this time” said Keith. “I have also had the honour of serving as the Leader of Council for the past 3 years and I would like to thank my fellow councillors, staff across the authority and our partner organisations for their support too.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“However, after much consideration and discussions with my family, it is clear that the time is now right for me to move on so that I can focus on my health and spend more time with my wife, our sons and our grandchildren,” he added. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Chris Burns, Caerphilly Council’s Interim Chief Executive said, “Keith has been an outstanding public servant and has always had an unrelenting drive and determination to do his very best for the local community. He has been a great ambassador for the authority and the Caerphilly county borough as a whole and it is with great sadness that we accept his intentions to step down.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“On behalf of all the staff in the council, I would like to thank Keith for his outstanding contribution and wish him all the very best for the future,” he added. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Bob Wellington CBE, WLGA Leader, stated, “Councillor Keith Reynolds has been at the heart of community politics in the Gwent and Rhymney valleys for forty years. Throughout his long service, Keith has dedicated himself to public services in the area as a councillor in the community of Aberbargoed, working for the Community Health Council and more latterly as leader of Caerphilly CBC. Keith has been a valued colleague and friend for a number of years. We are sorry to hear about his emerging health issues and wish him well. As the WLGA’s Anti-Poverty and Welfare Reform Spokesperson, Keith has played a central role in representing Wales’ councils and, crucially, Wales’ communities in making the case the Government to seek to mitigate the impact of welfare reform on the most vulnerable in our society. On behalf of WLGA colleagues, I would like to sincerely thank Keith for his contribution over the years and extend our highest regards to him.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Starting his political career in 1979, Cllr Keith Reynolds has served his local community for 38 years. Married to Sheila for 48 years, they have two sons, four grandsons and two step grandsons. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​