The former leader of the council and now leader of the community independent group has stressed the importance of consultation and listening to the people of Merthyr Tydfil. Councillor Kevin O’Neill is the leader of the recently set up community independents group and has set out what their priorities are going in to the council elections on May 5 this year.
Having served in the police previously, Cllr O’Neill became an independent councillor and leader of the authority in 2017 at the last elections. He was suspended for seven months in 2020 and when he returned he became a cabinet member in the independent administration.
But following concerns over the independent administration’s approach towards engagement and consultation with the communities especially around the location of a new 3-16 Catholic school and a cabinet reshuffle, he and a few fellow councillors decided to set up a new group called the community independents. He said the aim is to get as many independent councillors elected as possible so they have an overall majority.
