Election experts have accused a Welsh county council of reaching a ‘new low for diversity’ after appointing an exclusively male cabinet.
Tory councillor John Thomas, leader of the seven-man team at Vale of Glamorgan, said the new cabinet would bring ‘wealth of professional and political experience’ to the authority.
The council also points out that it has a new female mayor, Janice Charles.
But the Electoral Reform Society says newly-formed council cabinets in Wales do not reflect the fact more than a quarter of councillors are women.
The proportion ranges from 42% in Swansea to 10% in Ynys Mon, where only three women were elected.
Cllr Thomas, who is taking over from a Labour-led administration, said: ‘The new cabinet brings a wealth of professional and political experience to the council and will provide the leadership needed to develop services fit for the 21st Century.’
But ERS Cymru director Jess Blair said: ‘The Vale of Glamorgan council's failure to have any women on their cabinet is a new low for diversity.
‘We have serious concerns that other authorities across Wales are also failing to appropriately diversify their cabinets with all councils so far failing to be gender balanced.’
