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Cllr Bob Jones

CV/Biography etc

The new Mayor of Torfaen, Cllt Bob Jones, was installed on Tuesday 19 May at the traditional mayor-making ceremony.

Councillor Bob Jones succeeds Councillor Aneurin B James as mayor of the county borough for the municipal year 2009 / 2010.

During the ceremony, councillor Jones introduced the new mayoress, Mrs Margaret Jones, and his chaplain, Father Michael Phillips (Rector of Cwmbran).
The new mayor explained to the council that he is seeking a chamber in which mutual respect and confidence are self-evident and a sense of equity and parity is seen to thrive.

Councillor Jones also sought the support of the council in raising funds for the three beneficiaries under the traditional mayor's charity appeal - Progress Prostate Cancer Support, Breast Cancer Wales and the British Heart Foundation.

The three charities were selected for personal reasons and councillor Jones hopes that council colleagues and the public will help with this work.

Councillor Bob Jones was born in Garndiffaith in 1933 and attended Victoria Village School and the British School. Following school, he worked at Panteg Steelworks as a crane driver and sheet metal worker.

However, Bob always nursed a desire to join the Royal Navy and, aged 19, he visited the recruitment centre in Cardiff where he was intercepted by a Sergeant Major who prevailed upon him to join the Royal Marines.

Tours of duty followed - Deal in Kent for basic training, Lympstone (Exeter) for commando training, Stonehouse Barracks in Portsmouth, and a two and a half year tour of duty to the Far East aboard HMS Newcastle.

Back at Deal for drill instructor training, he married Margaret in 1957. The couple have two daughters - Susan and Melanie - and three grandchildren - Christopher, Liam and Morgan.

Two tours of duty to Malaysia, living off the jungle and drinking foul water produced TB and the need for the removal of a kidney.

Upon leaving the Marines after 10 years' service, Bob attended Usk College before working for Girlings - 18 years on security production. He then moved to Fairwater Leisure Centre in Cwmbran, where he taught swimming before becoming a supervisor.

Councillor Bob Jones entered local government when he was co-opted as a member of Cwmbran Community Council. He was elected to Torfaen County Borough Council in June 2004, as one of the three members for the Upper Cwmbran ward.

Above is all from press release issued by TCBC 22nd May 2009