NEW leaders are to be elected at two Gwent within the next two weeks.
Newport City Council leader Cllr Debbie Wilcox is standing down after being appointed to the House of Lords.
Her replacement as council leader is to be elected next week, chairman of the authority's Labour group Cllr Mark Spencer has said.
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Cllr Debbie Wilcox, now Baroness Wilcox of Newport
Nominations are still open, he added.
The new leader will be formally appointed at a council meeting on Tuesday, November 26.
Meanwhile, four candidates are in the running to replace Cllr David Poole as leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council. But Cllr Poole himself is not in the running, despite previously saying he hoped to return to the role.
(Clockwise from top left) Cllr Barbara Jones, Cllr Gez Kirby, Cllr Sean Morgan and Cllr Phillipa Marsden
Cllr Barbara Jones has filled the role of interim leader since Cllr Poole resigned and referred himself to the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales in September following allegations of a conflict of interest, and is standing to take on the role on a permanent basis.
The council's deputy leader Cllr Sean Morgan, who is also cabinet member for economy, infrastructure, sustainability and Wellbeing of Future Generations Champion, is also standing for the role.
Also in the running is Pontllanfraith ward member and chairman of the council's Labour group Cllr Gez Kirby, and cabinet member Philippa Marsden.
The council's Labour group will meet on Monday, November 18, to choose the new leader, who will be formally appointed at a council meeting the following day.
In an email to Labour councillors, Cllr Poole previously said: “I honestly believe that I will be found to be innocent of any of the accusations that have been made against me.”
Cllr David Poole
He asked councillors to “consider my decision to withdraw from the position of leader as a temporary one” in view of the “short time that this investigation is likely to take.”
A spokesman for Caerphilly council said the matter is with the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.
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