A COMMUNITY volunteer has said she is happy to defend Labour’s “strong track record” in a council by-election.
Voters will be going to the polls in Trevethin and Penygarn in a by-election targeted by the Reform UK Party as a chance to win its first council seat in Wales.
But Toniann Phillips, who will be attempting to ensure the Torfaen Borough Council seat remains in Labour hands, has said she isn’t concerned at strong polling both across the UK and in Wales for the party led by Nigel Farage and formed from the former Brexit Party.
“After canvassing and having spoken to a lot of people on the ground they say it’s a local election and the by-election is for people to vote on local matters so I don’t think it will be an issue,” said the Labour candidate.
Reform already has three councillors on Torfaen Borough Council, but all had been elected as independents before forming a group under the party’s banner last August. It has selected Stuart Keyte as its candidate for the seat previously held by Labour’s Sue Malson who resigned in November.
The election won’t alter the balance of power in Torfaen as Labour currently has a majority of 12, including the other councillor elected for the ward. Ms Phillips who is a volunteer trustee and treasurer at the Cold Barn Farm Community Centre in Trevethin, said she is happy to run on the record of the party that has long controlled the authority.
“Torfaen have a strong track record of being able to respond and I know that certainly within Trevethin and I’ve worked really well with the previous Labour councillors and they worked with Cold Barn Farm regularly.”
The 35-year-old, who has lived in Trevethin for almost seven years, said she become involved with the community centre two years ago as a way of getting to know people in the area and also questioned if Reform candidate Mr Keyte, who lives in nearby Wainfelin, will be accepted.
“I understand the candidate isn’t from the area and I think it’s really important to have somebody who lives within the community in Trevethin, St Cadoc’s and Penygarn and knows what it is like.”
The former teaching assistant, who graduated in early years education and care from Trinity St David’s University while working locally at Cwmffrwdoer Primary School, said the cost-of-living and energy are a crisis currently impacting people in the ward.
She has been joined by UK Government minister, and Torfaen MP, Nick Thomas-Symonds while campaigning but she said she doesn’t think national issues such as axing the Winter Fuel Allowance for all but the most hard up pensioners will impact the by-election.
“I don’t think it will be a problem as I know Torfaen council wrote to the chancellor with concerns about it, especially on people just above the threshold, and locally we are already providing as much support as we can.”
Nominations to stand in the by-election close at 4.30pm on Friday, January 17.