ABOUT Rhianon
Rhianon Passmore was elected to represent the people of Islwyn at the Senedd in 2016, and re-elected in 2021.
ABOUT ME
Rhianon Passmore was elected to represent the people of Islwyn at the Senedd in 2016, and re-elected in 2021. Rhianon currently sits as a member of the Finance Committee and the Public Accounts and Public Administration Committee.
Rhianon began her political career when she was elected to Welsh Policy Forum and later as a Councillor for Risca East at Caerphilly County Borough Council where she served for over a decade. She is a former Cabinet Member for Education and has vast experience across the education sector as a preschool music specialist, musician and a former lecturer. She has chaired a variety of education consortia and advisory services. Rhianon was born in Pantside and grew up with her family in Cwmcarn and Newbridge. Rhianon’s father was Head of Art at Newbridge Comprehensive School. Rhianon developed her own musical talents and interests from her creative family and while studying at Newbridge School and the Welsh College of Music and Drama and was awarded a bursary to study privately at Royal Academy Music. Her passion for music continues and in her spare time Rhianon is currently working on a new composition for clarinet, violin and voice.
Having grown up in Newbridge and going on to raise her own family in Ty Sign; Rhianon is acutely aware of the issues that matter to the people of Islwyn. Rhianon is driven to eradicate poverty and injustice within our communities and has a long standing evidenced, commitment to community regeneration projects; work that has gained her recognition from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.
A dedicated member of the Labour Party for many years, Rhianon has served on the party’s National Policy Forum. She has extensive political experience of policy development at a local and national level. She believes strongly in the values of practical application of the Labour values of equality of opportunity for all, opposing policies that grow poverty and has a long record in campaigning against far right organisations such as the BNP.
INTERESTS & ACHIEVEMENTS
Rhianon is especially interested in education, local government, economic development and regeneration. She is a committed advocate for women, has chaired the Welsh Labour’s Women’s Committee & Policy Forum and was a Welsh Woman of the Year Finalist.
Rhianon is a passionate champion of music and the creative arts. She has a strong interest in music education and arts development. She has served on the BBC Broadcasting Council Wales and the executive body of the National Books Council for Wales.
Rhianon is Chair of the Cross Party Group for Music at the Senedd. She is an avid advocate for music education in Wales and has helped to drive the creation of the Welsh Government’s National Music Strategy and Plan.
Rhianon was elected as the Labour Senedd representative to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in 2018 and is also Vice-Chair of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association British Islands and Mediterranean Region Women’s Branch.
Rhianon has a strong background and belief in Local Government and was an accredited Local Government Peer Mentor. Committed to public service delivery, Rhianon was the Welsh representative on the Local Government Association Regeneration and Transport Board. She has also worked as a senior Trade Union officer delivering equality priorities across the South West UK.
Rhianon was appointed and reappointed by the Home Office to the National Probation Board and chaired Gwent Health and Safety Committee.
Rhianon has founded and chaired a number of award winning community and voluntary organisations. She has a strong background in governorship in primary, secondary and tertiary education. She is also an experienced non-executive director and trustee and has most recently become patron of the national inclusion arts charity, KIRAN Cymru.
GET IN TOUCH
As your MS for Islwyn, I can help constituents on various issues, such as education, the environment, health and social services, highways, transport, and housing.
Please use the contact form to get in touch with me. Please remember to provide as many details as possible, including your name, address and full details of your issue.
I also hold face-to-face and online surgeries using Zoom/Microsoft Teams. At each session, I’ll be available to help with local issues. Click here to book an appointment.