Council leader confirms she will step down if elected as police and crime commissioner

Nicholas Thomas, local democracy reporter

Newport City Council leader Jane Mudd has announced she will step down next spring if she is elected Gwent’s next police and crime commissioner.

Cllr Mudd told colleagues on Tuesday that it would be “impossible” to continue in both roles if she succeeds Jeff Cuthbert as the PCC for Gwent in May.

Resignation

An election win would be followed by Cllr Mudd submitting her resignation at the council’s annual general meeting, which is scheduled to take place in that same month.

But she reminded councillors that she had only been named the Labour candidate for that election – and would still have to win on polling day before considering her role as council leader.

“If successful at the election in May, then of course it would be impossible to lead the council and to take on the PCC role, and be effective in both,” she told a Newport City Council meeting.

If successful in the PCC vote, “I will at the AGM, also in May, stand down as leader of the city council”, she told the chamber.

Oversee

Police and crime commissioners are appointed to oversee police forces and hold chief constables to account.

Current Gwent commissioner Mr Cuthbert has been in post since 2016 but has signalled his intention to step down at the end of his current term.

The former Labour politician served as the Assembly Member for Caerphilly in the Senedd between 2003 and 2016.

Following the announcement of her candidacy, Cllr Mudd said: “I am delighted to have been selected by the Labour party to represent the party in the 2024 police and crime commissioner election.

“At this stage in the process I am a candidate, in the meantime I continue to work with my administration to deliver our Labour commitments to the people of Newport.”

Cllr Mudd became leader of Newport City Council in 2019.