TORFAEN council’s cabinet saw a minor shake-up at the authority’s AGM (Annual General Meeting) on Tuesday (May 21) night, as Bob Wellington was re-elected as leader.

The Greenmeadow ward councillor has led the council since 2004, having first been elected to the council in 1981.

His long-term Labour lieutenant, Trevethin ward councillor Lewis Jones was also reinstated as his deputy.

In the cabinet as a whole there were also only minor changes.

Brian Mawby has headed up the children and young people’s brief since taking over from Cllr Mary Barnett after Torfaen’s education department was placed into special measures by the schools’ inspectorate Estyn in April.

Cllrs John Cunningham, Gwyneira Clark and Anthony Hunt kept their positions as executive members for neighbourhood services, housing, planning and public protection and resources respectively.

It meant the only change saw Richard Clark move from corporate governance and community safety to the role of executive member for health, social care, well-being and equalities, a brief he takes over from Cllr Cynthia Beynon who has been a long term absentee through illness.

Panteg ward councillor David Yeowell replaces Cllr Clark as the sixth and final member of the cabinet.

Of the major committees, Norma Parish will chair the planning committee and Neil Waite will carry out the role for the licensing committee while Mary Barnett takes over as chairman of the pensions committee.