South Wales Evening Post - 11 January 2007
Turncoat councillor Rene Kinzett has been named the new leader of Swansea's Conservative Party.
The former Lib Dem only joined the party last June, but was voted into the top job at a meeting earlier this week.
He has taken the reins from long-serving leader Joan Peters, who has headed the party since 1995.
The 31-year-old Mayals ward member has pledged to make the Conservatives more vocal on Swansea Council and make local people's voices heard on key issues such as the bendy bus scheme, eGovernment and the leisure centre.
Councillor Kinzett, who lives in Sketty, said: "We can increase the numbers of Welsh Conservative councillors in Swansea in the local elections in 2008, but we have to modernise locally, as well as nationally.
"I hope that by electing me as the leader of the Welsh Conservative party in Swansea, we have shown that we are up to the challenge of providing the people of our city and county with strong, modern and effective Conservative representation at all levels of government."
Councillor Kinzett, and his deputy councillor Paxton Hood-Williams, were elected at the party's annual meeting on Monday.
The Mayals councillor's appointment marks a huge change of fortune in a short space of time.
Last year he narrowly missed out on the Lib Dem nomination for the Swansea West Assembly seat.
Soon after the former coalition spokesman switched parties and joined the Conservatives, pointing to the party's change of direction under David Cameron as a major factor.
He is now hoping to turn round the fortunes of the blue party in Swansea.
"The Welsh Conservatives at their peak had around 18 councillors on the old city council.
"We know where we work and where we can win," he said.
"We are very confident that we can take many more council seats in 2008."
He also praised the efforts of Councillor Peters who will keep her role as cabinet member for local regeneration.
Councillor Kinzett said: "The Welsh Conservative group on Swansea Council has been led by Joan Peters through some very difficult times in the party's history."
Joan deserves our thanks and continued support for all the hard work and dedication she gave to the party throughout her leadership."
