Anglesey County Council’s Standards Committee has appointed a new independent Chair and Vice Chair.

The Standards Committee is responsible for promoting and maintaining high standards of behaviour amongst Isle of Anglesey County Councillors and assisting them to follow the Code of Conduct.

John Robert Jones was elected as Chair and Thomas Rhys Davies was elected as Vice - Chair of the Committee earlier this month.

Mr Jones has been an independent member of the Standards Committee since December 2017. He previously worked as Chief Officer with Medrwn Môn, the independent agency which provides advice and support to voluntary organisations and community groups.

Born and raised in Anglesey, he was educated and has worked most of his life on the Island. He continues to live in Llannerch-y-medd and as well as his experiences in the world of work, Mr Jones is an experienced community councillor and secondary school governor.

Following his appointment, Mr Jones said: “I’m very proud to receive this honour and I look forward to continuing with the important work of the Standards Committee. By working closely as a team of Members and with the Support of Officers, we will continue to be a proactive committee. Working with the elected councillors and co-opted Members of the County Council as well as town and community councillors on the Island will also be central to our work as we strive to ensure the highest possible standards of behaviour.”    

Thomas Rhys Davies is also from Anglesey. He was educated at Ysgol David Hughes before going on to study Dentistry in Cardiff. Mr Davies has now been retired from his dental practice for five years. He has experience of serving on a variety of committees, as Chair of the Dental Society and as a serving magistrate in Anglesey and Gwynedd.   He was appointed as an independent member of the Standards Committee in December 2019.

The Standards Committee includes nine members with most of them being independent members. Accompanying the Chair and Vice Chair are Mrs Celyn Menai Edwards, Mrs Gill Murgatroyd and Mrs Sharon Warnes as independent members. There are also two members of the County Council, Councillors John Arwel Roberts and Dafydd Rhys Thomas) and two town and community council representatives (Councillors Iorwerth Roberts and Keith Roberts) who form part of the Standards Committee.

The Chief Executive of Anglesey County Council, Mrs Annwen Morgan, added: “We are very fortunate that we have enthusiastic and hardworking members on our Standards Committee. I would like to congratulate Mr Jones on being elected as Chair. He is well respected and is more than capable of leading the Committee. His experiences of the world of work and within the community will benefit the committee as it continues to improve the standards of behaviour amongst Council Members in Anglesey.    

“Congratulations also to Mr Davies who is also a capable individual for the role of Vice Chair. I am confident that he will be an asset to the Committee and a great support to the Chair.”  

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Mr Michael Wilson and Mr Iswlyn Jones for their contributions until the end of their terms as Chair and Vice Chair, which came to an end in December 2019.”

The Chair and Vice Chair are chosen amongst the independent members of the Standards Committee. Both are appointed for initial periods of four years, with the possibility of re-appointment.

More information regarding the standards committee available here.     

End: 24/02/2020