23 May 2008

Gwynedd Council elects new Chairman and Leader

In the annual Gwynedd Council meeting on 22 May, Councillor Evie Morgan Jones (Llanbedr and Llanfair) was elected as Gwynedd Council Chairman, and Ann Lloyd Jones (Tywyn) as Vice-Chair.  In the same meeting, Councillor Dyfed Edwards (Penygroes) was elected Council Leader. 

A Councillor since 1999, and the Chairman  for the Meirionnydd Area Committee between 2006-2008, Councillor Evie Morgan Jones has been a member of Llanbedr Community Council since 1958, and has been a Justice of Peace since 1981.  He has been farming all his life, and Councillor Jones also worked for the Ministry of Agriculture for 27 years.

Councillor Evie Morgan Jones has a clear interest in agriculture, as well as Eisteddfodau, and he is a keen member of Ardudwy Male Voice Choir. 

When elected as Gwynedd Council Chairman, Councillor Evie Morgan Jones said:

“It is a great privilege to be elected as Gwynedd Council Chairman.  I look forward eagerly to the year to come, and I will do my best to serve Gwynedd’s residents and promote the Council’s work.”

Councillor Ann Lloyd Jones (Tywyn) was elected as Vice-Chair.  She has been a member of Gwynedd Council since 1995.

In the same meeting, Councillor Dyfed Edwards was elected as Gwynedd Council Leader.     Having been a Gwynedd Councillor since 2004, and Gwynedd Council’s School Portfolio Leader since before the local government elections, he is also the Leader of the Plaid Cymru Group on the Council.     

After being elected Gwynedd Council Leader, Councillor Dyfed Edwards said:

“It is with great pleasure that I accept the challenge of leading Gwynedd Council for the next four years.  I look forward to work side by side my co-members and Council officers to reach the aim of creating a better Gwynedd where our communities and the Welsh language can flourish.”

A member of Llanllyfni Community Council, Councillor Dyfed Edwards is the Director of Antur Nantlle and Dyffryn Nantlle Community Land Trust.  He volunteers with Penygroes Youth Club, and is also a governor at Ysgol Bro Lleu and Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle. 

He is married to Ruth, and has two daughters, Gwenno Mair who is 16 and Elin Rhiannon who is 13 years old.  He has an interest is sport, especially football, and also enjoys the arts.