A TORFAEN councillor is the first in Wales to ever reach the finals of the councillor of the year awards.

Cllr Catherine Lewis has been nominated for online councillor of the year because her extensive use of the internet and social networking sites to keep in touch with residents.

When Cllr Lewis became a councillor for the Greenmeadow ward in 2008 she set up her website, and from there she now sends out email newsletters, writes a blog and uses Twitter and Facebook to interact with residents.

Cllr Lewis said: "When I became a councillor I thought that the way forward was to engage with residents and use any channel I could.

"I have a section on my website called ‘Ask Catherine’ which is an in-built chat programme so if I’m online people can talk to me instantly.

"They say they’ve never had it before to be kept in the loop quite regularly.

"I let people know what I’ve been doing, what’s going on with council and even the Welsh Assembly."

She said: "Using online elements really helps me engage with the younger generation - and it’s working.

"There’s a whole range of residents from 18 years onwards who are on my email list."

The awards are run by the local government information unit and Cllr Lewis was on her way to the award ceremony in Westminster as we went to press last night.

She said: "I’m really pleased to have made the shortlist for the award because it’s an acknowledgement of what I’ve been doing.

"No one from Wales has got through to the finals before, so it would be amazing if I could bring the award back to Torfaen."

You can visit Cllr Lewis’ website at www.greenmeadowward.com