When Margaret Sargent was installed as Deputy Mayor of Caerphilly County Borough it marked a family civic double.
For the Penyrheol ward councillor was following in the footsteps of her sister Anne Collins, who served as Mayor in 2008. Cllr Collins also represents Penyrheol.
Cllr Sargent said: “Anne was the first Mayor in the new civic offices at Ty Penallta. She made the position her own. Apart from visiting residents who celebrated their 100th birthdays and couples celebrating their golden wedding anniversary, she also welcomed children to visit the Mayor’s Parlour for soft drinks and snacks, encouraging them to sing in the foyer for the staff at lunch time.
“She set a new tone on the civic position of Mayor and it is a lovely family double to follow Anne in high civic office.
“My installation made me think back to my grandparents who moved from mid-Wales to the Aber Valley to work in the Windsor Colliery where they brought up five children, my dad being one of them. He also went on to work the coal face at the Windsor Colliery.
“I’m delighted that ordinary working class people like Anne and myself are able to represent our communities and reach high civic office – it’s a lovely double honour for our family.
“It’s also very rewarding to think that my fellow councillors had faith in both my sister and me to represent them in our respective communities and in the wider world.”
Margaret said she was delighted that the authority now had two women in the top two civic offices for the first time with Councillor Vera Jenkins elected as Mayor.