Powys' oldest councillor for Llanidloes gives way to its youngest
A local authority's oldest councillor has stepped down after more than 50 years to "give way" to its youngest. Gareth Morgan, who will be 90 in October, has been a Powys county councillor in Llanidloes since the formation of the local authority in 1974.In his place will be the council's youngest representative Glyn Preston, who was just 22 when he was first elected three years ago and has shared responsibility for the Llanidloes ward with Mr Morgan.Preston described Mr Morgan's contribution to the community as "immense", and said he expected people will go and see him about their problems even after he has left, because they always have done.
"In many ways there comes a tide in the affairs of men they say, it's come to me now in what has been 52 years," Mr Morgan told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast. "I haven't got the energy I once did years ago and I thought it's time to give way to a younger person."Mr Morgan said he had seen a big change on Powys council in recent years, with a large number of younger councillors being recruited. "They're paid now and that makes it more affordable for younger people now and supplements what you're earning otherwise, the average age of Powys councillors has dropped dramatically," he said. During his time as councillor Mr Morgan held the position of council chair between 1999-2000. He also held the position of board member for arts and culture from 2002 until 2008.But while it may be time for Mr Morgan to slow down, he said he was not prepared to "creep into the corner and do nothing" as he has plans to remain on Llanidloes town council. "I look back and how much I've enjoyed it. There have been moments of great anxiety, but I've enjoyed it so much," Mr Morgan said. "Most of my old council colleagues have passed away. "I was there at the beginning in the early days, when Powys council was formed from the old counties of Montgomeryshire, Radnorshire and Brecknock."It's been a big part of my life. Angela my wife even became a town councillor," he added.
Preston said the people of Llanidloes knew they could rely on Mr Morgan and his open door policy and "people can go in for tea and cake and chat about their problems". "When I was knocking on doors three years ago trying to get elected, I was met with the same response on nearly every single door - 'don't worry, your vote is safe, if Gareth says you're alright, you're getting our vote'," the councillor said. He recalled how Mr Morgan once helped a man who had an operation out of the area and was denied recuperation at the local hospital in Llanidloes. "Gareth's solution was to invite this man to stay with him and his wife at their home for 11 days," Preston said. "They looked after him until he was back on his feet". "He also gave a constituent the use of his car when they fell on hard times," he added. "Gareth told them to use it whenever they needed it, he just gets things done for people."
When it comes to advice on what makes a great councillor, Preston said Mr Morgan had taught him much about the role in the time he has been part of the council. "You must have integrity, enthusiasm and genuine care for the public and they must come first - before politics," Mr Morgan said. "You must have commitment and dedication. It's a huge commitment and particularly the more senior you become."He thanked the community for repeatedly electing him, as he said "there is no guarantee you're going to be there indefinitely".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Illegal immigrant can stay in UK for daughter he does not speak to
An asylum judge allowed an illegal immigrant stay in Britain despite ' contradictory findings ' that his relationship with his daughter was good – but had also broken down. Andrew Kung'u Gichuhi, from Kenya, won his appeal to remain in the country, with a new hearing pending, after an immigration judge said Mr Gichuhi could stay in the UK because he had a 'genuine and subsisting' relationship with his daughter, and it would not be right to expect her to leave Britain. But, later on in her judgment, she appeared to contradict her earlier comments, saying there had been a breakdown in the father-daughter relationship. After the Home Office argued that her findings were 'irrational', an upper tribunal judge has now ruled that Mr Gichuhi's claim should be heard again. The case, disclosed in court papers, is the latest example uncovered by The Telegraph in which illegal migrants or convicted foreign criminals have been able to remain in the UK or halt their deportations on human rights grounds. 'Irrational' ruling Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has announced plans to kerb judges' powers to block deportations with new 'common sense' rules to clarify how they interpret the Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) article eight, which provides the right to a family life. The Home Secretary's rules are also intended to strengthen the public interest test, in which courts need to be hold themselves accountable and only grant exceptions to laws with justified reasons. Mr Gichuhi was living in the UK illegally as an unmarried partner of a British national when he applied for citizenship. The Home Office rejected his application, arguing that there were 'no insurmountable obstacles to family life with his partner continuing in Kenya'. The Home Office said he did not have a 'genuine and subsisting' relationship with his daughter, from a previous marriage. Mr Gichuhi appealed the decision to a lower-tier tribunal. The unnamed judge found that there was a 'genuine and subsisting' parental relationship between Gichuhi and his daughter, who 'could not reasonably be expected to leave the United Kingdom'. But later in the judgment, she said the relationship was 'broken down' and that there was 'no contact' between the Mr Gichuhi and his daughter. In the appeal against the 'irrational' finding, the Home Office said 'a relationship could not be both genuine and subsisting and broken down'. It added the judge had also been 'speculating about the possibility of future contact'. Those representing Mr Gichuhi argued that the judge had been 'entitled' to find that the relationship was subsisting, because he sent £100 a month to his daughter's bank account. They said he sent the money on an 'entirely voluntary basis', and his daughter had not returned the money. However, while they argued that a relationship could be 'genuine and subsisting' in 'the absence of contact', they accepted that 'subsisting was the antithesis of broken down'. For this reason, Mr Gichuhi's lawyers accepted that the judge's position was 'at least contradictory' and she had not explained how 'the contradictory positions were reconciled'. Upper Tribunal Judges Adrian Seelhoff and Sean O'Brien concluded: 'Consequently, the judge's finding at that [Mr Gichuhi's] relationship with his daughter had 'broken down' is inconsistent with her finding later in that paragraph that it was 'subsisting'. 'No attempt had been made to reconcile these contradictory findings. It follows that the judge's decision involved the making of an error of law.' They ruled that the case must be reheard afresh by another judge.
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
Mum who abused son so badly he had to have his legs amputated to be freed early from prison
A mother who abused her child so badly he had to have his legs amputated is to be released early from prison. Jody Simpson and Anthony Smith were both jailed for 10 years in 2018 for torturing their son, Tony Hudgell, who is now 10. He was just 41 days old when he was assaulted by the pair and left untreated and in agony for 10 days. The attack caused multiple fractures, dislocations and blunt trauma to the face, leading to organ failure, toxic shock and sepsis. The damage meant both his legs had to be amputated. Simpson was due to be released on licence at the halfway point of her prison sentence in August 2022. However, then justice secretary Dominic Raab referred her case to the Parole Board and her release was put on hold. A spokesperson for the Parole Board on Wednesday confirmed Simpson was set to be released. Paula Hudgell, Tony's adoptive mother, criticised the decision in a social media post. "Tony has life long injuries every day he suffers due to her hands," she wrote on X. Tony's case led to a public outcry and calls for child abusers to be given life behind bars. Tory MP Tom Tugendhat, who led a campaign for the changes, which are also known as Tony's Law, said on X: "I'm backing Tony as he faces the early release of his abuser - his birth mum. "Tony lives every day with the pain caused by her crimes as a baby. We must do more to protect children like him." Tony has since gone on to be a successful fundraiser for charity - for which he has been honoured by the Royal Family. A statement from the Parole Board said: "We can confirm that a panel of the Parole Board has directed the release of Jody Simpson following an oral hearing. "Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. "A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims." It added: "Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority." A Ministry of Justice spokesperson said: "This was a horrific crime that saw Tony Hudgell mercilessly tortured by his birth parents and our thoughts remain with him and his loved ones. "Now that the independent Parole Board has directed her release, Jody Simpson will be subject to strict supervision and licence conditions. She faces an immediate return to prison if she breaks the rules."
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
PIP warning as people with mental health problems ‘could lose up to £5,750 a year' under government plans
HUNDREDS of thousands of Brits could lose up to £5,750 in PIP due to a major overhaul, a new report warns. The Money and Mental Health Policy Institute (MMHPI), founded by money guru Martin Lewis, says the proposed changes to PIP are a "catastrophic" mistake. 2 The government needs to reduce the welfare bill and encourage more Brits back to work, to balance the nation's finances so it announced major cuts to PIP in March, aiming to save £5billion a year by 2030. Currently, you qualify for PIP by earning enough points across different tasks, like cooking, cleaning, or managing money. Under the new rules, you'll need to score at least four points on one specific daily task to qualify. This change could mean around 800,000 people losing their PIP payments, according to estimates from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). Research by MMHPI shows that a quarter of people likely to be affected by the changes have mental health problems. At the same time, a third of people surveyed by the charity currently receive the higher 'enhanced' rate of PIP because they need a lot of support. If they lose this, they could see their income drop by over £5,750 a year. Others, who get the lower 'standard' rate, could still lose more than £3,850 a year. Helen Undy, chief executive of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, said: "The message to the government from this research is clear - its proposed changes to PIP will have a catastrophic impact on people with mental health problems' wellbeing, finances, and working lives." Rachel Reeves delivers the Spring Budget in full "Balancing the books should not come at the price of causing misery and hardship for some of the most vulnerable people in society." The government says it wants to help more people get into work, but the charity argues that taking away this vital support will have the opposite effect. In response, a spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) said that most people currently claiming PIP will continue to get it. They added: "Our reforms will help sick or disabled people move out of poverty and into good, secure jobs, while ensuring the social security system will always be there for those who will never be able to work. "We are consulting on how best to support those impacted by the new eligibility changes, and have also announced a review of the PIP assessment, working with disabled people and key organisations representing them to consider how best to do this." WELFARE SHAKE-UP IN March, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced major welfare cuts to balance the nation's finances and boost employment. Key welfare changes include: Raising the eligibility threshold for PIP, achieving £3.4billion in annual savings. Temporarily introducing an above-inflation rise to Universal Credit's standard allowance (until 2029), while reducing the highest incapacity payment. Banning under-22s from claiming incapacity benefits under Universal Credit entirely. Slashing Universal Credit incapacity benefits for new claimants Abolishing the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) by 2028, with all health-related payments to be transitioned to PIP in the future. Launching a "Right to Work Guarantee", allowing unemployed individuals to attempt returning to work without losing benefits if they find it unsustainable. Merging jobseeker's allowance and employment support allowance, with a system that awards higher payments to those who have a work history compared to those who have not. More benefit cuts on the way It's not just PIP facing cuts. The government is also consulting on making major changes to Universal Credit, including reducing incapacity benefits and replacing work capability assessments. People already receiving incapacity payments will continue to get £416.19 per month, but this amount will stay the same until 2030. For new claims from April 2026, the payment will be reduced to £208.10 per month (£50 per week) and will also stay at this lower rate until 2030. The DWP has stated that a new premium will be introduced for those with the most severe, lifelong conditions who are unable to work, though the specifics of this proposal have yet to be disclosed. The Work Capability Assessment, which determines whether someone is deemed fit for work or has limited capability for work (LCW) or limited capability for work-related activity (LCWRA), will be scrapped by 2028. Instead the DWP will use the PIP assessment to assess entitlement for any Universal Credit health supplements. Claimants under the age of 22 will no longer be eligible for the health element of Universal Credit. The government is also introducing legislation to remove barriers to employment for benefit claimants by ensuring that attempting work will no longer automatically trigger a reassessment or review of their award. The intention is to give people the confidence to try work without fear of immediately losing their benefits if it doesn't work out. The government has promised to increase the Universal Credit standard allowance from April 2026, despite these changes. What are Work Capability Assessments? The DWP uses the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) to evaluate a claimant's ability to work when applying for Universal Credit due to a health condition or disability. The WCA focuses on assessing functional limitations rather than specific medical diagnoses. It considers both physical and mental health, awarding points based on how an individual's condition impacts their ability to carry out daily activities. After the assessment, claimants may be placed into one of two groups - Limited Capability for Work (LCW) or Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA). Claimants assigned to the LCW group are recognised as currently unfit for work but may be capable of returning to employment in the future with the right support and assistance. Those in this group are required to engage in work-related activities, such as attending Jobcentre appointments or training courses. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in sanctions, including a reduction or suspension of benefits. Claimants are placed in the LCWRA group if their health condition or disability is considered so severe that they are not expected to be able to work or participate in any work-related activities in the foreseeable future. Those in the LCWRA group receive an additional amount on top of their standard Universal Credit allowance currently worth £423.27 a month. What's happening to the Universal Credit standard allowance? As part of the changes announced in March, the government will increase the standard allowance for Universal Credit. This basic payment will temporarily rise at a rate higher than inflation, with an increase based on the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) plus an additional 5%. For a single individual aged 25 or over, this means their weekly payment will rise by £7 from April 2026, increasing from the current £92 per week to £106 per week by 2029. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) previously estimated that these above-inflation increases will provide the average claimant with an additional £775 in cash terms by 2029, compared to inflation-only adjustments.
