Now that all the runners are announced for the County Borough elections on 4 May I think it's time to review those in the mix for STaN's award for Neath's No 1 Labour Couple 2017.
There are a quite incredible SEVEN Labour couples standing in NPT which means that if all were to be successful then 22% of all the Council's 64 seats would be taken up just by these seven couples.
The reasons for all these couples running are debatable. The Labour Party membership hit new heights last year. So where are these new members? These seven couples are hardly representative of the new membership. In fact, Anthony Taylor and Michael Harvey (see below) were two of those councillors that signed a national letter against Corbyn's continued leadership in 2016.
The number of couples suggests to me Labour are in dire straits locally. They either have insufficient new blood of the experience and quality to put before the electorate or if they are there, they are kept out of things by the stifling, suffocating death grip of the Old Guard. That's not Old Guard as in "Old Labour" principles. It's Old Guard as in "New Labour" philosophy, the type that supported Owen Smith. And NPT council is full of these buggers. You can include Christina Rees and Jeremy Miles as out and out "Oily" supporters as well. Do not be fooled by Ms Rees' sudden show of loyalty towards Corbyn. It will last precisely as long as he does.
I have never heard of quite a number of the candidates that Labour has standing across the County Borough - this applies in my ward also. You'd expect some substantive experience of local politics or community involvement, so you can't help but feel this is desperation on their part. Then in one case, Mrs Janet Lockyer for the Bryncoch North seat, (who does come with experience of local politics), it seems she was entered into the race when the horses were already under starter's orders. No sign of her in the earlier Labour photo of women candidates, her name not listed among new councillors standing. So was she persuaded late on to stand because they just couldn't find anyone else?
Then look beyond the couples' list and you'll find quite a few councillors standing for seats where they do not live. For a party with a membership the size of Labour, I find that incredible. They should be having to reject people because there are too many wanting to stand in a particular ward, but no, they have to import people from other wards. They must be in desperate trouble.
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THE LIST OF DECLARED RUNNERS
Anyway, here's the line up of husbands and wives (or should I be more PC and say "partners") with the seats they are trying for. We'll start to the east, outside of the Neath area actually, then work our way across. Images, where used, are official NPT Council "mugshots", lifted off the website.
1. Anthony J Taylor and Rachel Taylor - Taibach
Anthony is already the NPT councillor for Taibach having been elected in 2008. He has had a rapid rise to the top, to the post of Cabinet member for Economic Development and Property Services (salary about £29K a year). He has worked for Carwyn Jones and then for Derek Vaughan as a political researcher. Some say his wife Rachel previously worked in the constituency office of Hywel Francis MP before the election of Stephen Kinnock in 2015. She obviously fancies a return to the political scene. If it all went tits up for them Anthony could fall back on his role as a Harry Potter lookalike. But that's as likely as the sun rising in the west. Could be worth a punt.
2. Colin Clement and Ms Carol Clement-Williams - Sandfields East and Baglan respectively
Colin has a long working background in computers and works for a computer company in Bridgend. Yet his Twitter account may have been compromised recently by a rather naughty girl. It's also not a good idea to put what may be your date of birth as part of your "Twitter handle" (Not published by STaN - I've more sense). Colin is rather rude to Tories on his social media so this might be embarrassing if elected. Because he'll have to sit alongside quite a few of the "bastards" and 
"scum" as he has called them, if he reaches those NPT Labour benches! Carol is an existing NPT councillor and has represented Baglan since 2012 when the results list her surname as just "Clement". Evidently the "hyphen Williams" and "Ms" bit has come from somewhere since. Let's hope there's not a Tory in the family. She is paid the basic councillor salary of £13,300 per annum. Carol has been a Civil Servant for over 26 years and currently holds a management job in the DVLA.
3. John Miller and Sandra Miller - Neath East
A couple who have been around the local political scene for years. Sandra was first elected to represent Neath East way back in 1999 (the first elections ever in NPT were in 1995). Then, in 2004, hubbie John joined her. Not a couple to set the world alight on social media though Sandra dips in to Neath Voice Facebook page on occasions, again not setting the world alight. On the Council's Register of Interests it shows Sandra works for ABMU, the local Health Board. John does not declare any current job and now may be on old age and/or occupational pension. Sandra is the Cabinet member for Streetcare and Highways for which she gets a salary of £28,780. She has been on a cabinet level post since 2009-2010 according to Council records. With husband John on the basic 
councillor salary of £13,300 this makes the couple easily the most remunerated from the public purse of all those in this year's line-up with about £42K a year coming their way from the council not counting those other job(s)/pensions. So if they do win, affording a nice frock and a classy bib and tucker for those public appearances will be the least of their problems. A very busy couple politically as both sit on Neath Town Council.
4. Alan Lockyer and Janet Lockyer - Neath North and Bryncoch North respectively
Alan has been one of the Labour councillors for Neath North since May 2010 when Derek Vaughan stood down when he became an MEP. Alan is already a committee chair in NPT, giving him a councillor salary of £22K a year. He previously worked in the Education sector, lecturing Music in Neath College before retiring recently. Derek Vaughan is good butties with Alan and Janet (who likes to be called Jan), who spent time last year with him in the EU Parliament where they proudly announced on Twitter they dined with the New Zealand Ambassador to the EU. Jan is a former 2-time Neath Town Council mayor and is standing for the Town Council again this year. And also standing as a Labour candidate in the Bryncoch North ward. They are the holders of the 2016 trophy, clear winners in the judge's eyes for constantly announcing to the world via their social media their frequent holidays, day trips, days out, nights out, meals out, meals in, and attendances at so many functions where there are names that can be dropped. And they are happy to provide photographic evidence of these events too. A couple not shy of the limelight then, though Jan threw a spanner into the works for a couple of months early in 2017 when she locked her Twitter account, possibly embarrassed because of STaN giving her even more publicity. It has recently been unlocked! Read into that what you will. Clear favourites for this year's title as well.
5. Annette and Chris Wingrave - Cadoxton and Coeddfranc Central respectively
Annette is the current councillor for Cadoxton ward, though actually lives in Llandarcy. She receives the basic councillor salary of £13,300 per annum. She doubles - and trebles up by being a member of Coedffranc and Blaenhonddan Community Councils, though these positions are unpaid of course. It's rumoured her attendances at the various council meetings are not the best but she's evidently survived the Labour cull that killed off quite a few of her colleagues. Not much is known about husband Chris, who is standing against the Lib Dem candidate Helen Ceri Clarke in the Coedffranc West ward, other than he is (hopefully) a Labour Party member! Rank outsiders for the 2017 No 1 Couple title but if you fancy a long odds bet, who am I to tell you that you are probably wasting your money.
6. Michael Harvey and Debbie Harvey - Coedffranc North and Dyffryn respectively
Michael (or Mike as he prefers to be known) is the current councillor for Coedffranc North since 2012 and is not yet heading up a committee so gets paid just the basic councillor salary of £13,300 per annum. But with the contacts and friends he has in the Party's upper echelons expect at least the Chair of a committee if elected, getting him up to £22K. A former police officer but listed in the Register of Interests is the role of Crime Prevention Design Advisor employed by South Wales Police, so he probably retired from the day job, then got another one - seemingly with the same employer. His skills as a sleuth are clearly in need of sharpening up, having recently announced on Twitter that STaN was a poor bloke called ****. (Name not published as it's not nice to blame someone else for my alleged indiscretions - more to come in a STaN coming soon.) A big sports lover, especially keen on rugby union - the Ospreys. Debbie was a hairdresser who says in her campaign leaflet that she has a bad shoulder. She has drawn the shortest straw of all Labour candidates, fighting in the Dyffryn ward which is the seat of the formidable Martyn Peters, the Plaid Cymru councillor who has seen off the political aspirations and careers of more people than STaN has upset with his articles. And believe me, that's quite a few. Both sit on Coedffranc Community Council. They are good friends of the Lockyers, and of Christina Rees and Jeremy Miles, so have excellent connections. Have been seen dining at Moruzzi's with the Labour crachach and, like the Lockyers, have found it amusing to play Twitter games with the soubriquet of "Neath's No 1 Couple", basking in the glow that they are part of "the scene" and seemingly either immune or oblivious to the fact that people are actually laughing at them laughing. Second favourites for the title in 2017 but could rise to the top should any of the Lockyers expire due to riotous living.
7. Leanne Jones and Andrew Jones - Tonna and Pelenna respectively
Even though the entry rules demand one existing councillor in the mix, for sheer chutzpah, STaN has allowed this couple a special entry. After all, without Leanne working for Christina Rees for five minutes, would we ever have heard of them? As stated, Leanne works in Christina Rees' office - that's our Labour MP, by the way. She has the desk nearest the big flatscreen TV and nice sofa and also answers the door by the looks of it. She previously worked in Communities First, Western Valleys along with her colleague in Ms Rees' office, Dean Cawsey. Now frequently photographed along with Ms Rees and "Banwen's Finest" Mr Cawsey at the many events, buffets and evenings out our MP chooses to attend. She has also been photographed several times recently, standing by a street sign saying Tonna. Leanne is getting excellent experience of how to conduct yourself if you were to be one half of Neath's No 1 Couple. Less in the spotlight is hubbie, Andrew, though he has been helped to canvass in his pitch for Pelenna on 20 April by almost the full team from 39 Windsor Road. Yes, that's Ms Rees herself, Dean Cawsey, and Andrew's wife, Leanne. Then who the hell was manning the office we pay for, your guess is as good as mine? Possibly Ms Rees' future son-in-law who she gave a job to shortly after she was elected? It's unlikely Leanne and Andrew will win the title this year and STaN doubts that Andrew would want it anyway. Would you?
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So there we have it. A mix of the experienced and the new kids on the block. A mix of those who love to boast of their lives on social media and those who cast an almost invisible internet presence. And definitely a mix of the committed and those who should be committed. There's our seven lovely couples, under starter's orders, waiting for the off. Not all will make it to the finish line, so let's wait until 5 May to see what casualties there have been before the title of Neath's No 1 Labour Couple 2017 can be awarded to the most deserving twosome.
Who's YOUR money on?
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