Tudor Evans

{{short description|British Labour Co-operative politician|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = Cllr

| name = Tudor Evans

| honorific-suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|OBE}}

| image =

| image_size =

| caption =

| office = Leader of Plymouth City Council

| deputy = Jemima Laing

| predecessor = Mark Shayer

| term_start = May 2023

| predecessor1 = Ian Bowyer

| successor1 = Nick Kelly

| term_start1 = 18 May 2018

| term_end1 = 21 May 2021

| predecessor2 = Vivien Pengelly

| successor2 = Ian Bowyer

| term_start2 = 18 May 2012

| term_end2 = 20 May 2016

| predecessor3 = Kevin Wigens

| successor3 = Vivien Pengelly

| term_start3 = May 2003

| term_end3 = May 2007

| predecessor4 = John Ingham

| successor4 = Patrick Nicholson

| term_start4 = May 1998

| term_end4 = May 2000

| office5 = Member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party

| term_start5 = November 2022

| term_end5 = November 2024

| office6 = Plymouth City Councillor
for Ham ward

| term_start6 = 5 May 1988

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Ebbw Vale

| party = Labour Co-op

| nationality = British

| alma_mater = University of Plymouth

| website =

}}

Tudor Evans {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|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.

From 2022 to 2024 he was a member of the Labour Party's governing body, the National Executive Committee

Early life

Evans was born in Ebbw Vale in Wales.{{cite web|url=http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/14182649.Ebbw_Vale_born_council_leader_gets_OBE/|title=Ebbw Vale-born council leader gets OBE|website=South Wales Argus|date=5 January 2016 }} He moved to Plymouth as an undergraduate, studying environmental science.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/nov/04/rich-people-reinvention-once-great-naval-city-plymouth|title='Send more rich people!' The reinvention of the once-great naval city of Plymouth|first=John|last=Harris|date=4 November 2015|website=The Guardian}}{{cite web|url=http://www.local.gov.uk/moderngov-main-page|title=LGA Councillor details - Cllr Tudor Evans OBE|date=6 May 2018|publisher=}} He was a director of a co-operative printing company for thirteen years, and works as a local government consultant.

Political career

Evans first stood for election to Plymouth City Council in 1987 in Sutton and Mount Gould ward, losing to SDP–Liberal Alliance candidates.{{cite web |last1=Rallings |first1=Colin |last2=Thrasher |first2= Michael |title=Plymouth City Countil Election Results 1973-1995 |url=http://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Plymouth-1973-1995.pdf |website=Elections Centre |publisher=Plymouth University}} He was subsequently elected as a councillor to Ham ward in 1988, a seat he has held ever since.{{cite web|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/news-opinion/50-most-influential-people-plymouth-795493|title=The 65 most influential people in Plymouth alive today|first=Millicent|last=Cooke|date=26 November 2017|publisher=}}

After the 1998 local election, the Labour group leader John Ingham stood down, having led the council for seven years.{{cite news |last1=Telford |first1=William |title=Tudor Evans - the ups and downs of a political survivor |url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/tudor-evans-ups-downs-political-1532413 |access-date=28 July 2022 |work=Plymouth Live |date=4 May 2018}} Evans put himself forward as a candidate lead the Labour group against fellow councillors Chris Mavin and David Millar.{{Cite web |last=Telford |first=William |date=2023-05-06 |title=Labour leader Tudor Evans' triumphs and disasters |url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/labour-leader-tudor-evans-triumphs-8416521 |access-date=2023-05-07 |website=PlymouthLive |language=en}} Evans was elected, saying he wanted to prioritise investment, jobs and the tourism industry.{{cite web|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/tudor-evans-ups-downs-political-1532413|title=Tudor Evans - the ups and downs of a political survivor|first=William|last=Telford|date=4 May 2018|publisher=}} 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. When Labour lost its majority in 2007, he said he was "proud of what [his] council has achieved", but "puzzled" at having lost control.

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.{{cite web|url=http://inplymouth.com/the-start-of-something-good-an-interview-with-tudor-evans/|title=The Start of Something Good? An Interview With Tudor Evans - InPlymouth|date=23 December 2012|publisher=}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-17948056|title=Labour take Exeter and Plymouth|work=BBC News |date=4 May 2012|publisher=}} He said he was not opposed to the incinerator, but to the planned location.{{Cite news |date=2012-07-31 |title=Devonport incinerator contract to be inspected |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-19059019 |access-date=2022-09-01}} In 2013, the council established an energy co-operative called Plymouth Energy Community.{{Cite web |date=2016-03-03 |title=Council signs off on energy co-operative pledge for residents {{!}} The Plymouth Daily |url=http://www.theplymouthdaily.co.uk/news/local-news/council-signs-energy-co-operative-pledge-residents |access-date=2022-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303230732/http://www.theplymouthdaily.co.uk/news/local-news/council-signs-energy-co-operative-pledge-residents |archive-date=3 March 2016 }} In 2014, he was a signatory to an open letter to The Observer calling for an end to cuts to local government.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2014/nov/30/letters-council-leaders-across-spectrum-plead-no-more-cuts|title=Council leaders of all parties plead for no more cuts - Letters|date=30 November 2014|website=The Guardian}} He advocated for Plymouth to be included in a national policy of compensation for businesses affected by flooding.{{Cite web |title=Plymouth misses out on flood support fund |url=https://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/story/2014-02-22/plymouth-misses-out-on-flood-support-fund/ |access-date=2022-09-01 |website=ITV News |language=en}}

The party lost control after the 2015 election, which left the council under no overall control. Evans initially remained council leader.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-32662517|title=Labour loses majority in Plymouth|work=BBC News |date=8 May 2015|publisher=}} 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. During this time, Evans supported a cross-party campaign for Plymouth to retain its warships.{{cite web|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/next-steps-campaign-protect-plymouths-668287|title=Next stage of campaign to protect our armed forces revealed today|first=Miles|last=O'Leary|date=24 October 2017|publisher=}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/what-new-labour-council-say-1531749|title=All 100 things new Labour council say they will do for Plymouth|first=Chris|last=Baker|date=4 May 2018|publisher=}} Evans opposed plans to merge Devon and Cornwall Police with Dorset Police.{{cite web|url=http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2018-08-09/plymouth-council-boss-slams-plans-to-merge-devon-and-cornwall-and-dorset-police/|title=Plymouth council boss slams plans to merge Devon and Cornwall and Dorset Police|publisher=}} Labour lost the 2021 council election, and Evans was replaced by the Conservative councillor Nick Kelly as council leader.{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Eve |date=2021-05-07 |title=Labour's had its 'backside kicked in Plymouth' |url=https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/plymouth-news/labours-backside-kicked-plymouth-council-5389106 |access-date=2022-09-01 |website=PlymouthLive |language=en}}

In 2022, Evans successfully ran for a position on the Labour Party National Executive Committee as a Councillor representative.{{Cite web |last=Evans |first=Tudor |date=2022-08-19 |title=Tudor Evans: Why I am standing to be a local government rep on Labour's NEC |url=https://labourlist.org/2022/08/tudor-evans-why-i-am-standing-to-be-a-local-government-rep-on-labours-nec/ |access-date=2024-10-05 |website=LabourList |language=en-GB}} He did not run for re-election in 2024.{{Cite tweet |number=1818337328487653423 |user=CouncillorTudor |title=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 |first=Tudor |last=Evans |date=30 July 2024 |access-date=5 October 2024}}

Labour regained control of the council in the 2023 council election. Evans returned as council leader.

Honours and awards

Evans was named council leader of the year in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.localgov.co.uk/Tudor-Evans-scoops-council-leader-of-the-year-award/38229|title=Tudor Evans scoops council leader of the year award|last=Sharman|first=Laura|date=3 March 2015|publisher=}} He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to politics and local government in January 2016.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2015/dec/30/local-government-chiefs-new-year-honours|title=Local government chiefs receive New Year honours in 2016|last=Dudman|first=Jane|date=30 December 2015|website=The Guardian}}

Elections contested

class="wikitable"
Date ! Council ! Ward ! colspan=2 \| Party ! Votes ! % votes ! Place ! Ref
1987 \| rowspan = "15" \| Plymouth City Council \| Mount Gould \| rowspan = "15"; style="width: 2px; background-color: #E4003B;" data-sort-value="Labour Party (UK)" \| \| rowspan = "15" \| Labour \| 911 \| 22.4 (party) \| 7th \| rowspan = "15" \|
1988 by-election \| rowspan = "14" \| 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

class="wikitable"

Date

! Council

! Ward

! colspan=2 | Party

! Votes

! % votes

! Place

! Ref

1987

| rowspan = "15" | Plymouth City Council

| Mount Gould