Russell Goodway

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Russell Goodway is a Welsh Labour Party councillor for Ely, Cardiff; and the former mayor of Cardiff and former CEO of Cardiff Chamber of Commerce.

First elected to serve the Ely, Cardiff ward for Labour on 4 May 1995,^[1] Goodway became leader of the Labour Group on Cardiff Council following the May 1992 Local Elections. After being made mayor of the city,^[2] it emerged that Goodway proposed in 2000 to become the highest paid local councillor in the United Kingdom, and possibly the highest paid politician, on a basic of £58,000 for a three day week,^[3] before agreeing a pay-cut to around £34,000 in return for a review of allowances.^[4]

Following the Labour Party's loss of control of Cardiff Council at the the May 2004 Local Elections, Good way resigned as leader of the group,^[5] adding that Welsh Assembly First Minister Rhodri Morgan wanted Goodway to be beaten by his independent opponent.^[6]

Remaining an elected councillor for Ely, Goodway was subsequently elected CEO of the Cardiff Chamber of Commerce in late 2004. In late 2007/early 2008, the chamber financially collapsed spectacularly following at overpaid training grant from ELWa of £500,000, which could not be repaid thanks to interest payments totalling £500,000 and other debts of a further £1million.^[7] After all 35 staff were immediately made redundant,^[8] it was subsequently liquidated.

In light of the decimation of the Labour group on Cardiff Council in May 2008, while Goodway survived, he again insisted he would not seek the vacant leadership of the Labour group.^[9]