ONE of Wales’ longest-serving councillors has confirmed he will be stepping down after more than four decades of public service.

Cllr Phil Bevan was first elected to the former Rhymney Valley Council in 1976 and currently represents the Morgan Jones ward on Caerphilly County Borough Council.

Cllr Bevan – who is a member of Plaid Cymru – will end his 46 year tenure as a councillor at this year’s council elections.

For eight years, he was a cabinet member for education under two Plaid Cymru administrations.

Cllr Bevan said: “I’m particularly proud to have helped develop English language education and overseen the growth of Welsh language education in Caerphilly.

“The demand from parents for education in the Welsh language has grown and grown over the years. When I was at Caerphilly Grammar School, the languages choices were French or Latin. How things have changed for the good.

“I was delighted when I was cabinet member that replacement schools at Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni and Lewis School, Pengam were built.”

In recent years, he campaigned against a housing development at Virginia Park and also opposed homes being built on land at Plas-y-Felin Primary School. A new Plas-y-Felin school is now due to be built on the site.

“The time is right for me to stand down as a county borough councillor and I hope to see three Plaid Cymru councillors elected in Morgan Jones ward after May,” added Cllr Bevan.

He will continue as a Caerphilly Town Council member if re-elected in May.

Before becoming a councillor, Cllr Bevan worked at South Wales Forgemasters in Taffs Well for 38 years and spent 12 years carrying out land surveys ahead of development.

He did his national service in the Royal Engineers Airborne Division (9th Squadron). A widower, Cllr Bevan, 85, has four children and seven grandchildren.