Delme Bowen is an emeritus professor (cell biology) at Cardiff University. He was Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Wales for the year 2011 to 2012 and was an elected Cardiff councillor for 17 years.

Political career

Bowen began his political career in 1977 as a member of Llantrisant Community Council.Peter La
''Veteran councillor to ‘go out with a bang’ after 35 years of service''
Western Mail, 15 November 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-20. He unsuccessfully stood as the

Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...

candidate for

Pontypridd () ( colloquially: Ponty) is a town and a community in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales. Geography comprises the electoral wards of , Hawthorn, Pontypridd Town, 'Rhondda', Rhydyfelin Central/Ilan ( Rhydfelen), Trallwng ( Trallwn) and Treforest (). ...

in the 1987 General Election, coming last with 5.3% of the vote. He was first elected to

Cardiff Council Cardiff Council, formally the County Council of the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Cyngor Sir Dinas a Sir Caerdydd) is the governing body for Cardiff, one of the Principal Areas of Wales. The principal area and its council were established ...

in 1995, as the Council's only representative for the Welsh nationalist party,

.''Delme Bowen becomes first Plaid lord mayor of Cardiff''
BBC News, 19 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-19. He represented the Creigiau & St Fagans ward. Bowen later became the Council's executive member for traffic and transportation but, in May 2011, relinquished this position to become Lord Mayor of Cardiff.''City transport chief new Lord Mayor and council executive sees reshuffle''
GuardianCardiff, 20 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-20. He was the first ever Plaid Cymru mayor of the city. In November 2011 Bowen announced he would not be standing for re-election to the Council in May 2012. He claimed to be proud of his contribution, while the Council's transport chief, to the introduction of the sustainable travel city programme, park-and-ride facilities and the pedestrianisation of some of Cardiff's main city streets. The 2012 local government elections saw Plaid Cymru lose the Creigiau & St Fagans seat to the

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

. After moving to

Carmarthenshire Carmarthenshire ( cy, Sir Gaerfyrddin; or informally ') is a county in the south-west of Wales. The three largest towns are Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford. Carmarthen is the county town and administrative centre. The county is known as ...

, in 2012 he sought election to Carmarthenshire County Council for the St Ishmaels Ward.''Lord Mayor goes to polls in West Wales''
South Wales Echo, 26 March 2012. Retrieved 2016-07-02. However, he was defeated by the sitting Independent member, Mair Stephens.

University career

Bowen was a lecturer in zoology''Cardiff today – Lord Mayor, market pickle and basement masterclass''
GuardianCardiff, 19 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-20. and later professor of cell biology at Cardiff University until his retirement in 2010. He is the author of several books and research papers. On his retirement he was given the title of emeritus professor.

Personal life

Bowen was born in Glanaman, Carmarthenshire and grew up near Ammanford. He lived in Creigiau with his partner, Pamela. He has four children.Biographical Note on the Lord Mayor: Councillor Professor Delme Bowen
Cardiff Council website, updated 23 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-12-20. Following his retirement from Cardiff University, in May 2012 Bowen moved to

Ferryside Ferryside ( cy, Glan-y-fferi) is a village in the community of St Ishmael, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It is south of Carmarthen near the mouth of the River Tywi. Originally a ferry crossing, then becoming a fishing village, it has developed as a ...

, where he had been building a house.

References

External links

Cardiff Council member profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bowen, Delme Academics of Cardiff University Councillors in Cardiff Living people Mayors of Cardiff Plaid Cymru mayors Year of birth missing (living people) Plaid Cymru councillors Plaid Cymru parliamentary candidates