Swansea announces its new Lord Mayor elect

Swansea Councillors have nominated two of their long serving colleagues as the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor elect. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor David Hopkins, ward member for Townhill and Cabinet member for Environment and Transportation, has been nominated as Lord Mayor Elect for 2016/17. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As Lord Mayor he will have an important civic and ceremonial role in the life of the city. His year of duties will be varied and include receiving visiting dignitaries and presiding at civic functions. He will also be involved in raising money for local good causes. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The official inauguration ceremony is due to take place in May. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Hopkins said: “I am delighted to be nominated as Lord Mayor for 2016/17 and it is an honour I’m immensely proud to carry out the role on behalf of the Townhill ward. To follow in my mother’s footsteps is a unique opportunity and I will do my utmost to uphold the role of First Citizen of our great city.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Father of three and grandfather of four Councillor Hopkins has been a councillor for more than 24 years. He follows in the footsteps of his late mother Lilian Hopkin who was Lord Mayor in 1986 and Cockett Ward councillor for over 30 years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He is a former pupil of St Joseph’s Primary School and Bishop Vaughan Comprehensive School and while learning his Trade as a Panel Beater and Sprayer at BT Rees, Oxford Street, he sat his City & Guilds at Mount Pleasant Campus. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He went on to work for 17 years in manufacturing in aluminium wire and cable in Port Tennant and during this time he became very involved in the T&G Union now known as Unite in which he held the role as Chair. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He took a keen interest in Health and Safety and equal rights and feels very strongly on these issues. He now works for Real Alloy a Recycling Plant in Waunarlwydd where he is still very active and is Chair of the Union. He is also a representative on the European Works Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His Lady Mayoress elect is his wife Beverley who is actively involved in the Hafod community. She sits on the Governing Body of Hafod and Plasmarl Primary School and runs a Parent and Toddler Group in Hafod Community Centre where she sits on the Management Committee. She is also a Councillor for the Landore Ward. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Lord Mayor Elect will be supported by Deputy Lord Mayor Elect, Councillor Philip Downing, ward member for Pontarddulais, who has served on the Council for more than 19 years. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Her is chair of the Council’s Development Cabinet Advisory Committee and the Economy & Investment Cabinet Advisory Committee. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​