Mike Hedges (politician)

Welsh Labour politician and Senedd Minister for Swansea East

Mike Hedges

Hedges in 2016

Member of the Senedd
for Swansea East

Incumbent

Assumed office
5 May 2011
Preceded by| Val Lloyd
Majority| 9,700 (45.0%)
Leader
of City and County of Swansea Council
In office
1999–2001
Preceded by| Tom Jones
Succeeded by| Lawrence Bailey
Member of City and County of Swansea Council
for Morriston
In office
1989–2012
Personal details
Born|  (1956-07-08) 8 July 1956 (age 69)
Swansea, Wales
Political party| Welsh Labour
Spouse| Anne Hedges
Residence(s)| Morriston, Swansea
Alma mater| Swansea University Cardiff University
Occupation| Lecturer
Profession| Politician

Michael John Hedges (born 8 July 1956) is a Welsh Labour[1] politician, who has been the Member of the Senedd (MS) for the constituency of Swansea East since the 2011 Senedd election.

## Personal life

[edit]

Hedges has lived in Morriston for many years but was born in the Plasmarl area of Swansea. He is married to Anne and has a daughter, Catrin, who attends Ysgol Gyfun Bryntawe.

He attended Plasmarl, Parklands and Penlan Schools, and went on to higher education at Swansea University and Cardiff University.

Active in local sport, Hedges has been a football referee and coach, and was secretary of Morriston town for several years. Hedges is president of Ynystawe Cricket and Football Club and is a social member of both Morriston RFC and Glais RFC.

## Professional background

[edit]

Originally a research scientist for British Steel Corporation at Port Talbot, Hedges has spent the last 27 years[when?] as a senior lecturer in Pontypridd, specialising in computing and information technology.

## Political history

[edit]

Hedges was elected to represent Morriston on the City and County of Swansea Council in 1995. He was re-elected in 1999, 2004 and 2008. He was previously a member of West Glamorgan County Council from 1989. He held a number of senior posts on the Council, including Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance & Technical Services. He was also Vice-Chair of the Council's Scrutiny Committee and the Welsh Local Government Association spokesperson on both social services and information.

Taking an active interest in education, Hedges has been a governor of Swansea University, Swansea Institute, Mynyddbach and Morriston Comprehensives, Swansea College. He is currently chair of the governors of Glyncollen Primary School and Ynystawe Primary School.

Hedges was a non-executive director of Swansea NHS Trust between 1999 and 2005. His political interests include education, health, local government, sports provision and social deprivation.

## Parliamentary career

[edit]

Hedges was first elected as an Assembly Member for Swansea East in May 2011 and re-elected in 2016 and 2021. He has sat as a Labour Co-operative member since re-election in 2021.[2] In February 2022, Hedges was one of three Labour MSs to support introducing rent controls in Wales.[3]

## Committee membership and cross party group membership

[edit]

Hedges currently sits as a member on the Senedd's Finance Committee,[4] Public Accounts Committee[5] and Health and Social Care Committee.[6] He is also Chair of the Cross Party Group (CPG) on Rented Housing and Leasehold Properties and the CPG on Older People & Ageing as well as a member of the CPGs on Autism, Beer & The Pub, Co-operatives & Mutuals, Cancer, Deaf Issues and PCS Union.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Mike Hedges MS". senedd.wales.
2. ^ "Annual Review 2021" (PDF). Co-operative Party. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
3. ^ Wilks, Rebecca (10 February 2022). "Rent controls: Welsh Senedd members react to snub". The National. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
4. ^ "Finance Committee - Fifth Senedd 13/01/2021". Welsh Parliament.
5. ^ https://business.senedd.wales/documents/s64435/Letter from the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.pdf [bare URL PDF]
6. ^ "New Health and Social Care Committee member, Mike Hedges MS visits local community pharmacy in Morri - Community Pharmacy Wales". www.cpwales.org.uk.

Senedd

Preceded by

Val Lloyd

|  Member of the Senedd for Swansea East
2011 – present  | Incumbent

* v
* t
* e

Current members of the Senedd

6th Senedd

Labour (30)|

| Constituency|

* Mick Antoniw
* Hannah Blythyn
* Dawn Bowden
* Jayne Bryant
* Hefin David
* Alun Davies
* Mark Drakeford
* Rebecca Evans
* Vaughan Gething
* John Griffiths
* Lesley Griffiths
* Mike Hedges
* Vikki Howells
* Jane Hutt
* Huw Irranca-Davies
* Julie James
* Jeremy Miles
* Julie Morgan
* Sarah Murphy
* Lynne Neagle
* Rhianon Passmore
* Jenny Rathbone
* David Rees
* Jack Sargeant
* Ken Skates
* Lee Waters
* Buffy Williams

|

Regional|

* Eluned Morgan (leader)
* Carolyn Thomas
* Joyce Watson

Conservatives (14)|

| Constituency|

* Paul Davies
* Gareth Davies
* James Evans
* Janet Finch-Saunders
* Peter Fox
* Samuel Kurtz
* Darren Millar (leader)

|

Regional|

* Natasha Asghar
* Andrew RT Davies
* Tom Giffard
* Altaf Hussain
* Mark Isherwood
* Joel James
* Sam Rowlands

Plaid Cymru (12)|

| Constituency|

* Mabon ap Gwynfor
* Siân Gwenllian
* Rhun ap Iorwerth (leader)
* Elin Jones
* Adam Price

|

Regional|

* Cefin Campbell
* Luke Fletcher
* Heledd Fychan
* Llŷr Huws Gruffydd
* Peredur Owen Griffiths
* Delyth Jewell
* Sioned Williams

Liberal Democrats (1)|

| Constituency|

* None

|

Regional|

* Jane Dodds (leader)

Reform UK (1)|

| Constituency|

* None

|

Regional|

* Laura Anne Jones

Independent (2)|

| Constituency|

* None

|

Regional|

* Rhys ab Owen
* Russell George

* Llywydd (presiding officer): Elin Jones

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF
* WorldCat

National|

* United States

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