DEPUTY LORD MAYOR OF CARDIFF 2012 - 2013

Deputy Lord Mayor and Deputy Lady Mayoress welcoming 
Archbishop Desmond Tutu to Cardiff |  24/10/12

Being elected to serve Llanrumney is a great privilege. To serve all of Cardiff, during my first year as a councillor, as Vice-Chairman and Deputy Lord Mayor of Cardiff has been an honour I'll never forget. It has afforded me unique opportunities to experience the life of this city and to witness the rich diversity of our people.

As Cardiff Council's first ever Armed Forces Representative I have been able to encourage the council's commitment to support our armed forces personnel, past and present. In March of this year at the Cardiff City Stadium I was a signatory to the Cardiff Armed Forces Community Covenant. An understanding signed by a plethora of agencies to agree to work together to honour the Armed Forces Community Covenant. 

During this civic year I have attended the funerals of two service personnel who died on active service. The streets of my own Llanrumney were crowded to honour Captain Stephen Healey and over 700 people filled Llandaff Cathedral to honour Guardsman Craig Roderick. Their sacrifice so that we and future generations remain free must never be forgotten. We will remember them.

I have worked with the Chair of Council Cerys Furlong and then the Mayor of Cardiff Derrick Morgan. Both dedicated public servants who have been generous with their time and advice. Their work leading the effort to raise money for Llamau, the Lord Mayor's charity has ensured that Llamau's work improving the lives of socially excluded, homeless people has reached a new audience.

So today at the full meeting of Cardiff Council at City Hall I will preside in the Chair for one last time as the new civic year begins. I wish Lord Mayor Morgan and the new Deputy Lord Mayor Margaret Jones all the best for the forthcoming year.

Lastly my thanks to the people of Llanrumney and Cardiff.

Signatory to the Cardiff Armed Forces Community Covenant
 at the Cardiff City Stadium | 05/03/2013

(This piece appeared in the South Wales Echo on 23rd May 2013 as a letter to You Say)