Neath Port Talbot Council has a new leader. Cllr Scott Jones, the Independent councillor for Gwynfi and Croeserw, was confirmed in the job at a full council meeting on Wednesday (14 October).
He takes over from Cllr Steve Hunt, who quit last month. Cllr Hunt said he was going for personal reasons, but also admitted he had got so drunk at an invitation-only event that he fell over, and that he had said he wanted to “wipe out” Plaid Cymru, the Independents’ partners in the ruling coalition.
Until Wednesday Cllr Jones was the cabinet member for Streetscene, the department that covers bins, recycling, roads, parks and flood defences. Readers will know him as the councillor quoted whenever the council takes a fly-tipper to court.
“Fair funding” first, says the new leader
The council says “fair funding and protecting vital services” will be at the top of his agenda, and that he wants the county borough to be “stronger, fairer and more resilient”.
“A key and immediate priority will be to make the strongest possible case for a fair and sustainable budget settlement for Neath Port Talbot Council,” he told the chamber. “The financial pressures facing local government remain significant, and we will work constructively with our partners to secure the resources needed to protect vital services and support the people who rely on them.”
It is the same fight his predecessor picked. Cllr Hunt used his reappointment in 2024 to warn the Welsh Government over the money the council gets, and said the night he fell over that his criticism had been aimed at Welsh Government spending decisions.
“Leadership is never about one individual”
Cllr Jones told councillors his time running Streetscene had shaped how he would lead. “As Cabinet Member for Streetscene, I have worked alongside dedicated officers and councillors to secure investment in our communities, improve parks and public spaces, strengthen flood defences, deliver environmental improvements and exceed Welsh Government recycling targets,” he said.
“Those achievements were made possible by teamwork, partnership working and a clear focus on delivering practical results for residents. They have reinforced my belief that effective leadership is never about one individual.”
He added: “It is about bringing people together, supporting them and creating the conditions for everyone to contribute. That principle will guide my approach to leading the Council.”
The council says he will also deliver “collaborative leadership” and the coalition’s priorities. Its announcement does not say whether anyone stood against him or how councillors voted.
Carl Jordan takes Streetscene, and a first cabinet next week
Cllr Carl Jordan becomes the cabinet member for Streetscene in his place, the council says. Deputy leader Cllr Alun Llewelyn, of Plaid Cymru, had been carrying out the leader’s duties since Cllr Hunt stepped down on 21 September.
Cllr Jones inherits the Rainbow Coalition of Independent, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors that took over in 2022, the first administration not run by Labour since the council was created in 1996.
His first cabinet meeting as leader is next Wednesday (21 October), when it decides whether to consult on 32 more places for children with additional learning needs at two schools the council is still building, with no money yet found to run them.
Cllr Hunt stays on as the Independent councillor for Crynant, Onllwyn and Seven Sisters. He had been reappointed leader at every annual meeting since 2022, most recently in May.
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