LABOUR’S Anthony Hunt will continue as the leader of Torfaen Borough Council after being reappointed at the authority’s annual general meeting.
The Panteg councillor had been a Labour candidate at the Senedd election on May 7 but the party’s disappointing performance, when it lost power in Cardiff Bay for the first time, saw it only gain one of six seats in the combined Sir Fynwy Torfaen constituency.
Had Cllr Hunt been elected to the Senedd he would have had to stand down from the council but will instead continue to lead it in the run up to the local government elections in May 2027.
He was nominated to continue by his deputy, Croesyceiliog councillor, Richard Clark, and confirmed by a vote of the full council on which Labour holds a double-figure majority.
Cllr Clark also slapped down an attempt by Independent Group councillor Giles Davies to nominate him for the leadership at the annual general meeting at the Civic Centre in Pontypool, on Tuesday, May 26.
The former Labour councillor has previously attempted to nominate the deputy leader at previous AGM’s but Cllr Clark declined for his name to go forward: “as I’ve made a nomination and the person should know better”.
Cllr Hunt accepted the nomination and said all in the chamber have a leadership role.
He was also praised by the leader of the three-member Torfaen Independent Group, Cwmbran Two Locks councillor Ron Burnett who said he’d voted for Cllr Hunt as “since becoming leader he’s taken this council forward with the lowest council tax in Wales.”
Cllr Burnett also said Cllr Hunt had supported “everyone in this chamber” and said “people in this chamber have short memories what he’s done for them”.
Cllr Hunt confirmed his six other cabinet members, appointed by him, will remain unchanged
They are Cllr Clark, who remains deputy leader and responsible for children and young people including education, Cllr Fiona Cross (communities), Cllr David Daniels (adult services), Cllr Joanne Gauden (economy), Cllr Peter Jones (corporate governance and resources), Cllr Sue Morgan (waste and sustainability) and Cllr Mandy Owen (environment).
Cwmbran Fairwater Labour councillor Rose Seabourne was also reappointed as the council’s presiding member at the AGM and she is responsible for chairing meetings, with Labour’s David Williams appointed as her deputy.
Reform UK group leader, Llantarnam councillor David Thomas, voted against Cllr Hunt’s appointment while the two remaining members of his group abstained.
The Reform group has been reduced by one since the Senedd election as Jason O’Connell, who also represented Llantarnam, had to resign his seat after being elected to the Senedd in the Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr constituency.
An election to fill the Llantarnam ward vacancy is due to take place on Thursday, July 2.