THE OFFICIAL opposition to Pembrokeshire County Council’s ruling group has seen yet another councillor cross the floor to join, the fifth in just over a year.
Milford Haven Central county councillor Terry Davies has become the latest councillor to join Pembrokeshire’s Independent Group, led by Cllr Jamie Adams.
Last year, the group’s membership was swelled by unaffiliated council members Cllr Anji Tinley and Cllr Alan Dennison joining in the early part of the year, followed by Councillor Vanessa Thomas, and latterly Cllr Mel Phillips.
All four – along with Cllr Davies – were new members of the county council, elected in May 2022.
This means the political makeup of the council is now 18 non-affiliated members, 17 Independent Group members, 10 Welsh Conservatives, 10 Labour, two Plaid Cymru and two Welsh Liberal Democrats.
Despite being the largest single group, the Independent Group is not the ruling group on the council; the current administration under the leadership of Cllr David Simpson having unaffiliated, Labour, Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat members.
The Independent Group membership now consists of Jamie Adams, John T Davies, Alan Dennison, Brian Hall, Delme Harris, Michael James, Michael John, Peter Morgan, Elwyn Morse, Huw Murphy, Mel Phillips, Shon Rees, Vanessa Thomas, Anji Tinley, Iwan Ward, Terry Davies, and Simon Wright.
The group’s membership had also included St Ishmaels Councillor Reg Owens, who passed away recently.
One member listed as ‘unaffiliated’ is former Conservative group member Cllr Andrew Edwards, who withdrew from the political group and referred himself to the Ombudsman last year after it was alleged he made ‘slave’ comments.
Cllr Davies has been contacted for a comment.
