New Aber Valley ward councillor announced

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Plaid Cymru’s Charlotte Bishop will represent the Aber Valley ward on Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Cllr Bishop replaces Cllr Lyndon Binding, who has stepped down due to health reasons after 13 years representing the ward.

Cllr Bishop was the only candidate put forward for the vacancy before the deadline on Thursday, May 20 – and has therefore been elected unopposed.

A mother-of-three, Cllr Bishop is secretary of the Friends of Abertridwr Park and the Chief Safeguarding Officer for the British Kickboxing Council.

She is also a councillor on Aber Valley Community Council, and a governor at Ysgol Ifor Bach and Cwmaber Junior School.

Cllr Bishop used to teach Access to Health and Social Care at Cardiff Metropolitan University and now tutors teachers on how to deal with students with behaviour issues.

Speaking after her election, Cllr Bishop said: “Our community is rich in heart and community spirit and the many organisations in the valley play a vital part in our way of life. They need to be preserved and cherished.

“I’m keen to tackle some of the major issues in the valley such as fly tipping and littering and work with people locally to build and expand our community resources to tackle antisocial behaviour.”

Fellow Aber Valley councillor John Taylor welcomed Cllr Bishop into her new role and said she “will be a strong voice for the communities of the Aber Valley”.

Cllr John Roberts, who also represents the ward, said: “The fact that no other parties, including the ruling Labour group, put forward candidates is clearly a vote of confidence in the work of Plaid Cymru councillors in the ward.”