Thursday is polling day and what do the major political parties say are the priorities for the new council to focus on?

Jamie Adams is leader of the Independent Group at County Hall, and is standing in Camrose.

There are four Independent Group members returning unopposed and there are 54 independent candidates standing across the county, some of whom are existing members of the group.

Jamie Adams said: “There are a number of areas where we as an Independent Group believe a sharper focus must be brought to the fore” – value for money, housing, economy, health and care and local environment.

“The Council taxpayers of Pembrokeshire have gained little in terms of service improvement despite around a 40% increase in the amount they pay over the last 5 years.

“Additional tax penalties will not solve the housing issues faced by our young people. We must improve the support for communities wishing to develop local housing for first time buyers and ensure the planning system encourages development to sustain vibrant communities.

“Focus is required to develop strength and resilience in the Pembrokeshire economy, the concept of encouraging generic investment to add value to food produced in the County by Puffin Produce is a great example of sustainable growth delivering opportunities at all levels. A strong working economy is the bedrock of solving our housing challenge.

“The idea that all health services must be centralised is depriving Pembrokeshire communities of the basic concept of accessible health for All. Many people don’t get the treatment they require and others are forced to pay for private treatment. Hywel Dda HB must find a solution to deliver for this County and not just Carmarthenshire. It is imperative that the Council provides a social care system to support health care. We are desperately short of carers to allow a flow of patients from hospital especially for those in their twilight years, not forgetting that local housing for their children would allow family support to assist in this endeavour.

“We must also develop support framework to allow volunteer groups to flourish in their work with children and young people. The idea of top down thinking which dictates rather than encourages innovation must be set aside. Some communities will be better placed to develop their own provisions and others will require greater targeted support.

“We have been let down in terms of the way our County looks and feels. There must be a far more robust regime for dealing with antisocial behaviour which has previously been described as ‘low level’. Littering and dog fouling are a blight on our communities and a danger to children in particular. Expecting members of the public to intervene is not feasible and the Council must grab the nettle and be prepared to take strong action.”

All major political parties were contacted about their priorities, there was no response from the Green Party.