Jeff Jones is a retired Labour Party politician from the town of

Maesteg Maesteg is a town and community (Wales), community in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. Maesteg lies at the northernmost end of the Llynfi Valley, close to the border with Neath Port Talbot. In 2011, Maesteg had a population of 20,612. The English ...

, Wales who rose to become Council Leader of Bridgend County Borough Council. He is known throughout South Wales as an outspoken local politician. Jones was brought up, the son of a miner and steelworker, in Maesteg. He studied political history at the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a public university, public research university located in London, England and a constituent college of the federal University of London. Founded in 1895 by Fabian Society members Sidn ...

. Jones was a councillor in Maesteg on the

Mid Glamorgan County Council Mid Glamorgan County Council () was the upper-tier authority for the Welsh county of Mid Glamorgan between its creation in 1974 and its abolition in 1996. History Local government in England and Wales was reorganised in 1974 under the Local Gover ...

from 1981, initially for the Maesteg No. 2 ward, which became

Maesteg East Maesteg East ( cy, Maesteg Dwyrain) is the name of an electoral ward in Bridgend County Borough, Wales. It covers part of the town of Maesteg. The ward elects two councillors to Bridgend County Borough Council. According to the 2011 UK Census, th ...

. From 1995 he became one of the two councillors for the Bridgend County Borough Council ward of Maesteg East. He retired from politics in 2004 before the Labour administration – which had held power since 1996 – was defeated by a coalition in the June 2004 council elections. After writing a letter to Wales First Minister

Rhodri Morgan Hywel Rhodri Morgan (29 September 1939 – 17 May 2017) was a Welsh Labour politician who was the First Minister of Wales and the Leader of Welsh Labour from 2000 to 2009. He was also the Assembly Member for Cardiff West from 1999 to 2011 and ...

citing concerns about the 2004 Clywch inquiry (into allegations of sexual abuse), there was an unsuccessful attempt to prosecute Jones for contempt. Jones says it was an attempt to silence him. Though found not to be in contempt, he had to pay £10,000 legal costs. In March 2006 Jones was cleared of claims he had breached the council's code of conduct, after a grievance had been brought against him by a council employee about comments made on a television programme in 2003. Jones' comments were described by the local government ombudsman as "somewhat hostile" but not "abusive". His attempt to become a governor in 2008 of Maesteg Comprehensive School was thwarted by the county council. Jones has subsequently set himself up as a local government consultant.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Jeff Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Welsh Labour politicians Members of Bridgend County Borough Council People from Bridgend Leaders of local authorities of Wales Members of Mid Glamorgan County Council