The Labour and Plaid Cymru groups on Caerphilly County Borough Council have announced their new leaders following the recent local election.
As expected, Cllr Harry Andrews is to continue as Labour group leader and is expected to be named the authority’s new leader at its Annual General Meeting on May 24.
Labour councillors have also chosen Pontlottyn councillor Gaynor Oliver to be their nomination for the post of Mayor for the forthcoming year with Crosskeys councillor Michael Gray set to be nominated as Deputy Mayor.
Councillors Gerald Jones and Keith Reynolds were also elected as Joint Deputy Leaders of the Labour Group.
Cllr Andrews said: “I am humbled by the support that my colleagues have given me and I look forward to the challenges ahead. Welsh Labour has been given a convincing mandate by the people of the Caerphilly County Borough area at the recent local elections and whilst recognising that amidst the Tory Government cuts, there will challenging times ahead, we look forward to standing up for the people of the County Borough and repaying the trust that local people have shown in us.”
Plaid Cymru have elected former deputy leader of council and Llanbradach councillor Colin Mann as their new leader following the defeat of former leader Allan Pritchard, who lost his seat.
Cllr Mann said: “It is a great privilege to be elected leader of the group by my colleagues. There is a lot to be done over the next five years.
“The loss of some excellent councillors at the elections was not the result of the work they did as ward members or a verdict on the way the authority was run. Many voters followed Labour’s call to send a message to David Cameron. But he is still not listening and nothing has changed.
“We will be striving hard to hold the ruling Labour group to account and will be watching closely to ensure they deliver their promises. Plaid won 20 seats which is more than double the number in 1995. We still won control of the authority in 1999 and I will be doing everything with fellow Plaid councillors to repeat that success.”