Tudor Evans OBE is a British Labour Co-op politician who has been the leader of Plymouth City Council five times, including since May 2023. He has been a councillor for Ham ward since 1988 and has led the Labour group on Plymouth City Council since 1998. He has previously served as leader of the council from 1998 to 2000, 2003 to 2007, 2012 to 2016, and 2018 to 2021.
Tudor Evans | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Plymouth City Council | |
| Assumed office May 2023 | |
| Deputy | Jemima Laing |
| Preceded by | Mark Shayer |
| In office 18 May 2018 – 21 May 2021 | |
| Preceded by | Ian Bowyer |
| Succeeded by | Nick Kelly |
| In office 18 May 2012 – 20 May 2016 | |
| Preceded by | Vivien Pengelly |
| Succeeded by | Ian Bowyer |
| In office May 2003 – May 2007 | |
| Preceded by | Kevin Wigens |
| Succeeded by | Vivien Pengelly |
| In office May 1998 – May 2000 | |
| Preceded by | John Ingham |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Nicholson |
| Member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party | |
| In office November 2022 – November 2024 | |
| Plymouth City Councillor for Ham ward | |
| Assumed office 5 May 1988 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ebbw Vale |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Labour Co-op |
| Alma mater | University of Plymouth |
From 2022 to 2024 he was a member of the Labour Party's governing body, the National Executive Committee
Early life
editEvans was born in Ebbw Vale in Wales.[1] He moved to Plymouth as an undergraduate, studying environmental science.[2][3] He was a director of a co-operative printing company for thirteen years, and works as a local government consultant.[3]
Political career
editEvans first stood for election to Plymouth City Council in 1987 in Sutton and Mount Gould ward, losing to SDP–Liberal Alliance candidates.[4] He was subsequently elected as a councillor to Ham ward in 1988, a seat he has held ever since.[5]
After the 1998 local election, the Labour group leader John Ingham stood down, having led the council for seven years.[6] Evans put himself forward as a candidate lead the Labour group against fellow councillors Chris Mavin and David Millar.[7] Evans was elected, saying he wanted to prioritise investment, jobs and the tourism industry.[8] He led the council until 2000, when the Conservatives won a majority of seats on the council.
Evans became council leader again in 2003, crediting his victory to Conservative plans to close old people's homes.[7] When Labour lost its majority in 2007, he said he was "proud of what [his] council has achieved", but "puzzled" at having lost control.[8]
Labour again took control of the council in 2012, with the defeated Conservative council leader Vivien Pengelly blaming a cut in the top rate of income tax and the proposed pasty tax from the Conservative chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne's budget. Evans again returned as council leader on a platform including job creation, webcasting council meetings, and trying to stop the construction of an incinerator.[9][10] He said he was not opposed to the incinerator, but to the planned location.[11] In 2013, the council established an energy co-operative called Plymouth Energy Community.[12] In 2014, he was a signatory to an open letter to The Observer calling for an end to cuts to local government.[13] He advocated for Plymouth to be included in a national policy of compensation for businesses affected by flooding.[14]
The party lost control after the 2015 election, which left the council under no overall control. Evans initially remained council leader.[15] He was removed from that post after the 2016 local elections, with local UK Independence Party councillors forming a coalition with the Conservatives and later defecting to them.[8] During this time, Evans supported a cross-party campaign for Plymouth to retain its warships.[16]
After Labour restored its majority in the 2018 council election, Evans returned as council leader with a manifesto including pledges to create a thousand new parking spaces and to construct new low-cost homes.[17] Evans opposed plans to merge Devon and Cornwall Police with Dorset Police.[18] Labour lost the 2021 council election, and Evans was replaced by the Conservative councillor Nick Kelly as council leader.[19]
In 2022, Evans successfully ran for a position on the Labour Party National Executive Committee as a Councillor representative.[20] He did not run for re-election in 2024.[21]
Labour regained control of the council in the 2023 council election. Evans returned as council leader.[7]
Honours and awards
editEvans was named council leader of the year in 2015.[22] He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to politics and local government in January 2016.[1][23]
Elections contested
edit| Date | Council | Ward | Party | Votes | % votes | Place | Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Plymouth City Council | Mount Gould | Labour | 911 | 22.4 (party) | 7th | [4] | |
| 1988 by-election | Ham | ? | ? | 1st | ||||
| 1991 | 2,650 | 68.5 (party) | 3rd | |||||
| 1995 | 2,142 | 73.6 (party) | 2nd | |||||
| 1997 | 2,142 | 60.7 (party) | 2nd | |||||
| 1997 | 2,142 | 60.7 (party) | 2nd | |||||
| 2000 | 1,150 | 50.0 (party) | 1st | |||||
| 2003 | 1,912 | 62.9 (party) | 1st | |||||
| 2003 | 1,912 | 62.9 (party) | 1st | |||||
| 2007 | 1,460 | 44.4 | 1st | |||||
| 2007 | 1,460 | 44.4 | 1st | |||||
| 2011 | 1,843 | 54.7 | 1st | |||||
| 2015 | 2,176 | 38.6 | 1st | |||||
| 2019 | 1,441 | 45.9 | 1st | |||||
| 2023 | 1,390 | 47.3 | 1st | |||||
References
edit- ^ a b "Ebbw Vale-born council leader gets OBE". South Wales Argus. 5 January 2016.
- ^ Harris, John (4 November 2015). "'Send more rich people!' The reinvention of the once-great naval city of Plymouth". The Guardian.
- ^ a b "LGA Councillor details - Cllr Tudor Evans OBE". 6 May 2018.
- ^ a b Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. "Plymouth City Countil Election Results 1973-1995" (PDF). Elections Centre. Plymouth University.
- ^ Cooke, Millicent (26 November 2017). "The 65 most influential people in Plymouth alive today".
- ^ Telford, William (4 May 2018). "Tudor Evans - the ups and downs of a political survivor". Plymouth Live. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
- ^ a b c Telford, William (6 May 2023). "Labour leader Tudor Evans' triumphs and disasters". PlymouthLive. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Telford, William (4 May 2018). "Tudor Evans - the ups and downs of a political survivor".
- ^ "The Start of Something Good? An Interview With Tudor Evans - InPlymouth". 23 December 2012.
- ^ "Labour take Exeter and Plymouth". BBC News. 4 May 2012.
- ^ "Devonport incinerator contract to be inspected". BBC News. 31 July 2012. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ "Council signs off on energy co-operative pledge for residents | The Plymouth Daily". 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ "Council leaders of all parties plead for no more cuts - Letters". The Guardian. 30 November 2014.
- ^ "Plymouth misses out on flood support fund". ITV News. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ "Labour loses majority in Plymouth". BBC News. 8 May 2015.
- ^ O'Leary, Miles (24 October 2017). "Next stage of campaign to protect our armed forces revealed today".
- ^ Baker, Chris (4 May 2018). "All 100 things new Labour council say they will do for Plymouth".
- ^ "Plymouth council boss slams plans to merge Devon and Cornwall and Dorset Police".
- ^ Watson, Eve (7 May 2021). "Labour's had its 'backside kicked in Plymouth'". PlymouthLive. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
- ^ Evans, Tudor (19 August 2022). "Tudor Evans: Why I am standing to be a local government rep on Labour's NEC". LabourList. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
- ^ Evans, Tudor [@CouncillorTudor] (30 July 2024). "I've really enjoyed being a member of @uklabour's NEC but its time for me to concentrate on my @LGA_Labour work and most importantly, seizing the opportunities of the Labour government to create jobs, build homes, improve skills, repair transport and get wages up in my city! 1/2" (Tweet). Retrieved 5 October 2024 – via Twitter.
- ^ Sharman, Laura (3 March 2015). "Tudor Evans scoops council leader of the year award".
- ^ Dudman, Jane (30 December 2015). "Local government chiefs receive New Year honours in 2016". The Guardian.