Blaenavon Town council elects its youngest ever mayor

28-year-old Cllr Liam Cowles was unanimously elected at last week’s annual general meeting and takes over from Cllr Alan Jones.

Cllr Cowles said it was “an absolute honour” to be chosen as mayor after being elected to the town council almost two years ago.

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He said, in that period, he had been impressed by the way that the council worked together and the support of chief officer Kevin Warren. 

“I always said you should come in as a member of the public and not be aware which political parties councillors belonged to,” he said. “And that has proved to be very much the case, with nobody expressing political opinions and working only for the good of Blaenavon.”

Mayor of Blaenavon Liam Cowles with his predecessor Cllr Alan Jones. Picture: Blaenavon Town Council

Cllr Cowles paid tribute to his predecessor, saying Cllr Jones had a “difficult and frustrating” year in charge during the pandemic, unable to attend as many events as normal but still putting in a significant amount of work, including attending the Remembrance Day ceremony.

Cllr Cowles is a County Court advocate who represents clients in civil law disputes in courts across South Wales.

Deputy mayor of Blaenavon Jackie Huybs. Picture: Blaenavon Town Council

The new deputy mayor is Cllr Jackie Huybs, a former Free Press and South Wales Argus journalist, currently working as communications officer with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council.