Cllr Handel Davies has been elected as the new chair of Carmarthenshire County Council.

Taking the chair, of office on May 22, Cllr Davies - member for the Llandovery Ward - paid tribute to the outgoing Chair, Cllr Louvain Roberts and thanked her for her service to the Council.

Cllr Davies will chair the Council for the next 12 months, with his wife, Margaret, as his Consort, and Cllr Dot Jones, member for Llannon, as his Vice-Chair.

“I’m very much looking forward to the year ahead, and to a varied and interesting year.”

Cllr Davies has chosen LATCH Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity and Prostrate Cymru as his charities during his term of office.

The Chair is the first citizen of Carmarthenshire County Council and is elected at the Annual General Meeting.

Duties include chairing full meetings of the Council, representing the Council at formal and ceremonial occasions, welcoming visitors to the County, and attending and supporting events organised by local people and organisations.

Cllr Davies has been a County Councillor since May 2017 and is a member of Llandovery Town Council, having served as Mayor in 2021/22 and 2022/23. He has also been a member of Llanfairarybryn Community Council since 2017.