Bridgend Council’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held yesterday, where councillors make appointments to key offices.
It was to include the first significant change in the leadership of BCBC for several years. It follows the announcement earlier this year that Cllr. Huw David (Lab, Kenfig Hill, Pyle and Cefn Cribwr) was standing down as Council Leader.
Outgoing Mayor praises voluntary groups
The outgoing Mayor of the county borough, Cllr. William Kendall (Lab, Brackla East Central), declared his appreciation for the support he’s received during his time in office. He said he had a “remarkable and enlightening year”, where he was honoured to attend many local events as a county ambassador.
He went on to praise volunteers and voluntary groups who’ve contributed to their local communities. Bridgend was full of people who were proud and “optimistic for the future”.
As is tradition, the previous Deputy Mayor, Cllr. Heather Griffiths (Lab, Garw Valley), was appointed as Mayor for 2024-25.
The outgoing Council Leader, Cllr. Huw David, was appointed Deputy Mayor.
New Council Leader “wants to put people and places first”
Having recently been elected as the new Labour group leader, Cllr. John Spanswick (Lab, Brackla West Central) was subsequently elected as Council Leader by 29 votes to 20.
Cllr. Ross Penhale-Thomas (Ind, Maesteg West) was named as an alternative candidate by opposition groups.
Cllr. Spanswick paid tribute to Cllr. Huw David, saying his commitment and dedication to the council were hard to put into words. Cllr. Spanswick was proud to have served in his Cabinet, noting Cllr. David’s “day and night” work through the pandemic, which he did without complaint.
Cllr. Spanswick wanted to ensure that under his leadership, people would see a visible difference in their communities. He wants to “put politics to one side” and concentrate on “people and places”, calling for councillors to behave better towards each other, particularly when it comes to “spreading disinformation” on social media.
Expanded Cabinet announced
A slightly larger Cabinet was announced, with a mix of new and old faces – including the county council’s first job share.
The new Cabinet looks like this:
