Members at Bridgend County Borough Council met on Wednesday 13 May for the Annual Meeting of Council to confirm the positions of Leader and Cabinet for the year ahead, and to elect a new Mayor and Deputy Mayor.
Councillor John Spanswick was returned as Leader of the authority, and the following Cabinet positions were also confirmed:
- Deputy Leader / Cabinet Member for Social Services and Wellbeing – Councillor Jane Gebbie
- Cabinet Member for Finance and Transformation – Councillor Hywel Williams
- Cabinet Member for Education and Young People – Councillor Martyn Jones
- Cabinet Member for Communities and Environment (Job Share) – Councillor Eugene Caparros and Councillor Gary Haines
- Cabinet Member for Corporate Services – Councillor Melanie Evans
- Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing – Councillor Colin Davies
Councillor Heidi Bennett will succeed Councillor Huw David as Mayor of Bridgend County Borough for 2026-27, while Councillor Elaine Winstanley will act as Deputy Mayor. The Youth Mayor of Bridgend County Borough will be Phoebe Evans, and Adam Cloutier will serve as Deputy Youth Mayor.
“I would like to thank members for returning me as the Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council. Undertaking this role is an extraordinary privilege and responsibility, and I want to assure you that I will give it my full attention and focus, and will always do my very best for the people and communities that we serve. “I am ably backed by my Cabinet colleagues, and I am grateful for their unwavering support and dedication. I would like to pay tribute to each and every one of them for all the great work undertaken within their portfolios throughout the past year. “I also want to pay a special tribute to Councillor Neelo Farr as she has demonstrated selfless public service during her time as a Cabinet member, and to thank her for the valuable contribution she has made. “I would like to welcome Councillor Colin Davies to the Cabinet. Councillor Davies has a background in social work, community development, employability and regeneration, and I am sure that he will be able to call upon his experience to help him perform in his new role. “I am confident that with this team in place, we can continue to build on our achievements of the last year. “As Leader, I want Bridgend County Borough Council to build upon its successes, gather and hone our resources and skills, and continue to develop new and innovative ways of meeting the challenges of the future. We have the team, the vision and the ambition, and this year will be about delivering for the people we serve.”
