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Councillor Debbie Harvey has been nominated as the next mayor of Newport.

The Labour representative has represented the Alway ward since 2012, and has spent many more years campaigning tirelessly for people on low incomes.

“I’m Newport born and bred so it is a great honour and privilege to be asked to serve as mayor of the city,” she said following her nomination.

“I’m really looking forward to my year of office, meeting lots of people at different engagements and events and raising money for my chosen charities.”

Cllr Harvey has called Alway home for 60 years, working in a variety of fields from retail and hospitality to a reading recovery programme in schools – as well as being an unpaid carer.

She entered politics after starting to campaign for people who lost out financially when the Farepak Christmas savings scheme collapsed, and has spent 20 years supporting their efforts for compensation.

Her involvement in that campaign led to her standing for the city council in the 2012 local government elections, and she has represented the Alway ward ever since.

In that time, Cllr Harvey has been part of several committees and also served as a chief whip and a cabinet member.

Outside of her council work, she is a member of the Child Poverty Community of Practice and also serves as a school governor, including a period as vice-chair at Alway Primary.

As the chair of governors at Llanwern High School, she worked with its headteacher to bring the first free breakfast club to a Newport secondary school.

Newport City Council said Cllr Harvey “works tirelessly for her constituents – particularly those who might be struggling financially – by spearheading initiatives such as the delivery of food parcels, opening and running a free at point of use Food Pantry, as well as organising”.

Her husband is fellow Alway ward councillor Tim Harvey, and she has three children and four grandchildren.

Cllr Harvey will succeed Labour colleague Cllr Kate Thomas as Newport mayor later this year.