Pembrokeshire County Council has a new cabinet member.

He is St. Davids councillor David Lloyd who takes on responsibility for education.

The current cabinet member for education and safeguarding, Sue Perkins, is assigned the new portfolio of services to children and lifelong safeguarding.

This will include overseeing services for those with additional learning needs and the safeguarding agenda for both children and adults.

Council leader, Jamie Adams, said the role would fit well with the ethos of the Social Services and Well-Being (Wales) Act 2014, implemented earlier this year.

Clr. Adams explained that with the review and potential reorganisation of many schools in the county now underway, the cabinet needed the extra capacity that a cabinet member dedicated solely to education would bring.

He added it would also free Clr. Perkins to concentrate on safeguarding responsibilities which remains a strong corporate objective.

Clr. Adams continued: “I acknowledge that this means increasing the size of the cabinet from nine to 10 at a time of increased financial pressure.

“The challenge thrown down by the recent council decision regarding secondary education is to broaden our thinking around county-wide education provision and ensure that we have a sustainable model of delivery for the future.

“Sometimes in order to improve, you require more capacity and this is the reasoning behind Clr. Lloyd’s appointment. It will allow us to bring extra focus to improving the performance of individual schools.

“David has demonstrated a willingness to think ‘outside the box’ and is passionate about equity and opportunity for children in Pembrokeshire.”

A barrister, Clr. Lloyd was elected to the council in 2012. He is not affiliated to any group on the authority.