THE leader of Monmouthshire council’s Labour group will be standing as a candidate in Newport in the council elections in May.

Cllr Dimitri Batrouni will be stepping down as leader of the Labour group in Monmouthshire and as a councillor for the St. Christophers ward in Chepstow.

Following a change in personal circumstances, Cllr Batrouni says he will be standing as a Labour candidate for the Gaer ward in Newport in May’s local government elections.

The Gaer ward is currently represented by Labour councillors Debbie Wilcox, Mark Whitcutt and Stephen Marshall.

Cllr Wilcox previously said she would not seek re-election as a ward member after she took her seat in the House of Lords, and Cllr Whitcutt has also said he will not stand in May.

Cllr Batrouni said: “It has been an honour to have been the Labour leader of Monmouthshire County Council and the councillor for St Christophers over the past two election terms.

“I have met and worked with a lot of amazing people over the years, all of whom only want the best for their local community and Monmouthshire more widely.

“I’ve always taken the role of opposition leader seriously, holding the Conservative administration to account for their decisions and trying to ensure the plethora of views across Monmouthshire are heard in the council chamber.

“However, now is the right time for me to step down and move on, handing the reins to a new Labour leader and councillor for St Christophers. I will continue to work hard in all my roles until May 2022.”

Cllr Batrouni has served as a Monmouthshire councillor since 2012 and as leader of the council’s Labour group since 2013.

The next leader of Monmouthshire’s Labour group has yet to be decided.

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