A FORMER Ebbw Vale schoolboy has been awarded an OBE in the New Year honours for his years of service to politics and local government.

Tudor Evans was born and grew up in Ebbw Vale but moved to Plymouth after he finished school, and is today in his third stint as leader of the city council.

The 56-year-old father-of-two, whose parents James and Beryl both worked in the coal industry, said although Plymouth had been his home for nearly three decades, he was still proud of his Welsh routes.

“I come up to Wales at least twice a year to stay with my sister in Llanelli,” he said. “I haven’t been to Ebbw Vale for a year or so though since my mum passed away.

“But I still remember the place fondly. I’m very proud of where I came from.

“I always cheer for Wales, no matter where I am.

“Ebbw Vale as an area is very important to my life.

“We don’t get many people from our area getting things like this so when we do we’ve got to make a fuss about it.”

Cllr Evans – who was also awarded council leader of the year in the 2015 Local Government Information Unit awards – has also worked with the Welsh Local Government Association and said he believed this was as responsible for his OBE as his years of work in Plymouth.