THE vice-chairwoman of Aneurin Bevan Health Board and a Monmouthshire councillor were among those to collect their MBEs at Buckingham Palace on Friday.

Sue Kent, of Penhow, and Brian Hood, ward councillor for Llanover, were presented with their awards by the Queen at the Palace after being named in the New Year honours list.

Ms Kent received an MBE for services to healthcare while Cllr Hood collected his for services to local government.

Ms Kent, of Penhow, started as a student nurse in 1960 before nursing in Bristol, Cardiff and Newport. She then became director of nursing at Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital.

After a spell as chief executive of the former Nevill Hall Hospital NHS Trust, she retired in 1999 but continued in roles including chairwoman of Newport Local Health Board before taking up her current position.

She is also chairwoman of the trustees of the Tredegar-based Hospice of the Valleys.

The Argus reported in December how Ms Kent had said the honour was all the more special as she celebrates 50 years with the NHS.

Cllr Hood started as a councillor in 1987 and has been heavily involved in issues surrounding provision of social services.

For nine of the past 11 years, the Conservative councillor served as Monmouthshire’s lead on social services and has served on social services policy groups at Wales levels and beyond.

Cllr Hood had said he was "thrilled" at receiving the award.