The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority took place on Monday 19th June 2017 at the Authority Head Offices in Brecon. Mrs Melanie Doel was unanimously voted in as the Chairman of the Authority as was Cllr Glynog Davies as Deputy Chairman, both for their third consecutive year. Together they collectively welcomed ten new members and those members returning back to the Authority.
Altogether there are 24 members of the National Park Authority and returning were National Park Authority members from Powys; Cllr David Meredith, Cllr Phil Pritchard and Cllr Michael Jones and from Monmouthshire Cllr Ann Webb, and Cllr Andrew James from Carmarthenshire.
Joining them were ten newly elected members including from Powys Cllr Gareth Ratcliffe, Cllr Karen Laurie-Parry, Cllr Emily Durrant, Cllr Edwin Roderick and Cllr Sarah Lewis. From Blaenau Gwent, Cllr John Hill, Torfaen, Cllr Giles Davies, Merthyr Tydfil, Cllr Paul Brown, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cllr Graham Thomas and Cllr Mathew Feakins, Monmouthshire.
Also in attendance were the six other Welsh Government members Mr Edward Evans, Prof Alan Lovell, Mr James Marsden, Ms Deborah Perkin, Mr Ian Rowat and Mr Julian Stedman. There is currently one Welsh Government vacancy following the retirement of long standing member Margaret Underwood who finished her ten year term with the Authority back in March 2017.
Newly elected Chairman of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, Mrs Melanie Doel addressed members and said:
“Thank you to everyone for your support today and over the past two years. It has been a challenging year with many changes but also some great outcomes. I am proud that this authority has turned those challenges into opportunities. The National Park Visitor Centre at Libanus is going from strength to strength with a new thriving catering business. It is also providing an exciting platform for local craftsmen to promote and sell their goods . The Authority is continuing its commitment to the very successful grant giving Sustainable Development Fund, and for every pound we invest on average it draws an extra 8 pounds into the community. New terms are being put in place to ensure footpaths continue to be kept open and our planning performance and good reputation continues to grow. The recent changes to staffing have proved challenging but despite that staff have remained positive with a new relevant and robust structure now in place. I am proud to resume my post as Chairman of the Authority and will do all I can to support this Authority and all those people who live and work in the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park.”
Newly elected Deputy Chairman for the Authority, Cllr Glynog Davies added;
“I am honoured once again to have been elected as Deputy Chairman for the National Park Authority. It has been a pleasure to support Melanie Doel as Chairman for the past two years and I look forward to carrying on working with her, members and officers of the National Park Authority for another year. We all work very well together and long may we continue in doing so.”
During the AGM former Deputy Chairman Mr Edward Evans was elected as Chairman of Planning, Access and Rights of Way (PAROW) with Cllr Michael Jones newly elected as Deputy Chairman of PAROW. Former Deputy Chairman Cllr Ann Webb was elected as the new Chairman of Audit and Scrutiny Committee with Mr Ian Rowat as Deputy Chairman.
To watch the recording of the AGM visit https://breconbeacons.public-i.tv/core/portal/home and further details of the committee structure and membership please visit the www.beacons-npa.gov.uk.
ENDS