The new leader of Carmarthenshire Council said no one party had a monopoly on good ideas, and encouraged opposition councillors to come forward with their suggestions and "work together for the common good". Cllr Darren Price, of Plaid Cymru, said all elected members wanted Carmarthenshire to flourish.
He was confirmed as the leader of the authority at the council's annual meeting, admitting that if someone had said he would be in this position three weeks ago he would have "looked at them in disbelief". Cllr Price was thrust into his new role after previous council leader Emlyn Dole surprisingly lost his seat at the elections on May 5. The democratic process, said Cllr Price, could be a cruel one.
Plaid, with 38 out of 75 councillors, will continue to run the council in coalition with the Independents. Cllr Price said firm foundations had been laid by the previous administration. "The challenge is now to build on those foundations," he said. You can get more Carmarthenshire news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
