Council Elects A New Leader

Torfaen County Borough Council has today elected a new leader of the council and a new deputy leader with effect from 1 January 2017 for the remainder of the municipal year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council’s deputy leader and executive member for resources, Cllr Anthony Hunt takes over the role of leader and Cllr Richard Clark, the council’s current executive member for health, wellbeing and social care becomes the new Deputy Leader ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Anthony Hunt takes over from Cllr Bob Wellington who announced he was standing down after 13 years as council leader. Cllr Hunt, aged 36, becomes the youngest council leader in Wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Anthony Hunt is a Labour councillor for the Panteg ward and was elected the new Leader of the majority Labour group in Torfaen and put forward as their candidate for leader. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

As the only nomination for leader, Cllr Hunt was elected following a vote by council today. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Accepting the role of leader Cllr Hunt paid tribute to Cllr Wellington, saying: “It’s a huge honour to be appointed leader and to follow in the footsteps of Bob Wellington, someone I have a huge amount of respect for and consider a valued friend, a great colleague and a good socialist. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As leader, I pledge to work hard to deliver a council that is responsive to people’s needs and delivers on our corporate priorities. People may not always agree with the decisions we make, but I will listen, act on the evidence and do my best for our residents, their families and the services they rely on. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We have to cope within the confines of reducing budgets and increasing demand and I fear the consequences for the most vulnerable in our society. This situation is especially stark in communities like ours, where benefit reforms, cuts and the need for more and better jobs combine to create a huge challenge. My focus as leader will be on what we can do as a council to mitigate the impacts of these cuts.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr Richard Clark, said: “As we look ahead to a new era for this council, I’d like to pay tribute to Bob Wellington for his strong and decisive leadership of the council and the many achievements he has delivered. I look forward to working with Anthony to ensure that we do all we can to provide our residents with the high quality public services they deserve.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​