My wife Heddyr and I live in Furnace, Llanelli with our two teenage sons who attend Ysgol y Strade. I am a community governor at Furnace Community Primary School and a parent governor at Ysgol y Strade.
I am a lifelong socialist with a strong sense of community having been brought up in a mining village in the Amman Valley.
From my early teaching days in the Gwendraeth to my time as Director of Education I have dealt with all sorts of sensitive issues from fighting for funding for schools to improving opportunities for children with special needs.
My priority issues include safeguarding jobs and improving job opportunities for young people, protecting frontline services particularly in health and social care and schools , keeping up pressure on agencies to sort out flooding and sewage pollution problems and the regeneration of Llanelli Town Centre.
Between 2004 and 2008 I was a County Councillor for the Hengoed Ward on Carmarthenshire county Council and acted as Secretary of the Labour Group.
After graduating I held senior positions in schools and colleges before entering local government first of all as a schools inspector and eventually as a senior administrative officer. During my time as an inspector I served as a trade union official serving on national Committees dealing with salaries and conditions of service of employees in the public sector.
In my spare time I enjoy supporting the Scarlets as well as other local clubs. Other interests include reading and keeping fit .
First Class degree and an MA in Pure Mathematics from Swansea University .
Teaching qualification PGCE (FE) from Cardiff University .
Senior Lecturer in Cardiff College of Education .
Adviser in Mathematics and Physics Glamorgan LEA
Senior Secondary Adviser and then Chief Adviser Mid Glamorgan LEA
Director of Education for Mid Glamorgan and then Carmarthenshire
