New leader set to be anointed by council colleagues
THE man who is expected to become the new leader of Carmarthenshire Council has been announced.
After former leader Emlyn Dole lost his seat on the council in Thursday’s local election, 42-year-old Darren Price has been chosen as the councillor to lead the local authority into a new era.
Mr Dole has been the leader of the council since 2015 but he failed to retain his seat in one of the shocks of Thursday’s council elections.
He received 561 votes in the twomember Llannon ward but was surpassed by his fellow Plaid Cymru candidate Llinos Mai Davies, who received 568 votes, and Labour’s Dot Jones, who received 594 votes.
Overall Plaid Cymru now have a majority in the council after securing 38 seats out of 75, with Labour winning 23 seats and 14 being taken up by independent candidates.
Due to Mr Dole’s failure to retain his seat the Plaid Cymru group on the council held a meeting on Saturday and appointed Mr Price, who represents the Gorslas ward, as its new leader.
He will now be nominated to become the leader of Carmarthenshire Council at the authority’s annual general meeting later this month.
Given Plaid Cymru’s newly-secured majority his appointment as council leader is expected to be a formality.
Mr Price was raised in the Gorslas area near Cross Hands that he represents and attended the local primary and secondary schools.
The married father-of-two read economics at Swansea University and is currently employed as a senior researcher at the Welsh Parliament, having previously worked within NHS Wales. He also serves as a s c h o o l governor, a member of several local organisations, and coaches the Drefach under-8s football team. “This is a tremendous but exciting challenge,” said Mr Price. “The vision and fantastic work started during Emlyn Dole’s tenure to regenerate the county, at a most difficult time nationally, must be carried to fruition. “If my nomination is ratified by the full council I will reach out to members, irrespective of political persuasions, so that we can work together for the good of Carmarthenshire.”