Janet Davies (politician)

Janet Davies
Member of the Welsh Assembly
for South Wales West
In office
6 May 1999 – 3 May 2007
Preceded byNew Assembly
Succeeded byBethan Jenkins
Personal details
Born (1939-05-29) 29 May 1939 (age 85)
Cardiff, Wales
Political partyPlaid Cymru
Alma materOpen University

Janet Marion Davies (born 29 May 1939 in Cardiff) is a Plaid Cymru Welsh politician. She was the National Assembly for Wales Member for South Wales West from 1999 to 2007, retiring at the 2007 election.

Background

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Davies was educated at Howell's School Llandaff, Cardiff and Trinity College, Carmarthen (BA Hons), the University of Wales and the Open University (BA Hons). Davies was a Nurse and Midwife in the 1960s.

Political career

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In 1976, Davies ran to represent the Llanharry and Llaniltud ward on Taff Ely Borough Council, but was not elected.[1] In 1983, she again contested the ward, and this time was elected. In 1986, she was re-elected to represent the reformed Llanharry ward.[1] She was selected as leader of the Council in 1991, and remained in the role until the council was abolished in 1996, and incorporated into Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council.[2][3] She also served as Mayor of Taff-Ely Borough from 1995 to 1996.[4] Davies was a witness to the Nolan Committee in it's inquiry into local government in 1996.[5][6]

She contested the Pontypridd constituency for Plaid Cymru in the 1983 General Election, finishing fourth of five candidates with 4.7% of the vote.[7] She then stood in the 1985 Brecon and Radnor by-election, finishing fourth out of seven with 1.1% of the vote,[8][9] and in Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney in the 1987 General Election, finishing last with 4.7% of the vote.[10] She later criticised the party's campaign in the 1987 election, arguing it was too focused on welsh-speaking areas in Wales.[11] In 1986 she stood to be Chair of Plaid Cymru on a left-wing ticket, and lost to Dafydd Huws.[12]

She has served as Director of elections and a member of the Plaid Cymru National Executive. She was Chief Whip for the Plaid Group in the National Assembly.

In the Second Assembly (2003–07) she was a member of the following committees: Audit Committee (Chair[13]); Scrutiny of the First Minister Committee; Public Audit Act Commencement Order Committee 2005; Public Audit (Wales) Bill Committee 2003; and the Public Audit (Wales) Bill Committee 2004.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Taff-Ely Welsh District Council Elections Results 1973-1991" (PDF). Elections Centre - Plymouth University. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  2. ^ Prestage, Michael (28 October 1993). "PLAID'S PAVEMENT POLITICS GAIN VALLEY FOOTHOLD; Nationalists to target Labour's Welsh heartland at conference today". The Guardian. p. 8.
  3. ^ "LABOUR CLLRS PLAN TO CLOSE PLAID NURSERY TWO WEEKS AFTER OPENING". Local Government Chronicle. 20 November 1995.
  4. ^ "PLAID CYMRU CALLS FOR BETTER BALANCE IN LOCAL/CENTRAL GOVT". Local Government Chronicle. 21 May 1996.
  5. ^ "NOLAN COMMITTEE DEFINES AREA OF STUDY ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT". Local Government Chronicle. 27 November 1996.
  6. ^ "NOLAN HEARS OF WELSH EXCLUSION POLITICS". Local Government Chronicle. 5 December 1996.
  7. ^ The Times House of Commons Guide June 1983, The Times Newspapers Ltd, St Edmundsbury Press, Bury Page 186
  8. ^ Boothroyd, David. "Results of Byelections in the 1983-87 Parliament". United Kingdom Election Results. Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  9. ^ Heath, Tony (15 July 1985). "Plaid factions clash in poll post-mortem / Welsh nationalist party's analysis of the Brecon and Radnor byelection". The Guardian.
  10. ^ "Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney - UK Parliament Constituency: Election 1987". Election Polling. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
  11. ^ "Plaid 'must broaden its appeal'". The Guardian. 14 September 1987.
  12. ^ Heath, Tony (27 October 1986). "Nationalists unite to attack Kinnock and hint at hopes of Tory victory / Plaid Cymnu and SNP leaders condemn Labour Party policies". The Guardian.
  13. ^ "UK | Wales | Ambulance performance 'appalling'". BBC News. 7 March 2007. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
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Offices held

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Senedd
Preceded by
(new post)
Assembly Member for South Wales West
19992007
Succeeded by