Rodney Berman

Rodney Berman

Rodney Berman, a Liberal Democrat Councillor for the Plasnewydd ward, is leader of Cardiff Council .

A Glaswegian by birth, Rodney studied at the University of Glasgow where he helped run Glasgow University Liberal Democrats before moving to Wales to study towards a PhD.

He has stood for election to Parliament as Welsh Liberal Democrat candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth in 2001 and Rhondda in 1997, coming third on each occasion. His agent for the Rhondda seat was Professor Russell Deacon. Rodney was the last Liberal Democrat to secure their electoral deposit there until the general election of 2010.

Rodney is an openly gay man, who in August 2006 entered into a Civil Partnership with his partner, former ITV News journalist Nick Speed.

In 2006, Berman was the first winner of the Local Politician of the Year award, judges saying he "has had the difficult task of leading a minority administration, publicly taking on the powerful chairman of his local football club, whilst endeavouring to resolve major policy issues such as the decline in school enrolments in the city".^{[citation needed]}

The local elections of 2008 saw the Liberal Democrats under Berman's leadership increase their representation, winning new seats in the east (Trowbridge), west (Llandaff) and south of the city (Butetown). Under Rodney's leadership the Liberal Democrats gained their largest representation in Cardiff for over a century.^{[citation needed]}

References

• Balsom, Denis. The Wales Yearbook 2007. Francis Balsom Associates Limited. 2006 ISBN 1 901 862 65 8

External links

• "Hain wins top title for work in Wales and N Ireland" - Wales Online
• "It's just not cricket" - The Western Mail
• "‘Cardiff residents should get to vote for a mayor’" - Wales Online
• "Directly-elected mayor would have too much power, says Rodney Berman" - Wales Online
• "Cardiff council hits back at rubbish collection complaints" - Wales Online
• "Concern over city school shake-up" - BBC News
• "Cardiff 'behind' in culture city race" - BBC News
• "Council to reveal school closures" - BBC News