Former leader of Carmarthenshire County Council and Labour Party stalwart Councillor Kevin Madge has been appointed chairman of a new Amman and Gwendraeth Valley “super branch”.

The move follows the overhauling of the branch structure in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr by the Welsh Labour Party.

The changes - which centre around three newly-formed “super branches” – has been carried out in the hope it will “re-energise” the party following May’s general election defeat.

The creation of the “super branches” for the Amman and Gwendraeth Valleys, Towy and the North – will, Labour officials claim, enable the party to “reconnect with its communities”.

A Welsh Labour spokesman claimed that the party had seen membership rise by more than 150 in the Carmarthen and Dinefwr East electoral area during recent months.

Steve Jeacock, Welsh Labour's candidate for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr seat at next year's Welsh Assembly elections said: “These branch reforms will make the Labour Party much stronger in this constituency.

“The new branches will be dynamic bodies where members will be able to meet and discuss the main challenges facing Carmarthenshire today.

“Over 150 people have joined the Labour Party in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr during recent months and these changes will allow us to grow the party across the whole of the constituency.

“I believe these are very exciting times for the party.”

Cllr Kevin Madge, who led the Labour group at Carmarthenshire County Council until May, said: “It is a great honour to be the first chair of the Amman and Gwendraeth branch of the Labour Party.

“My first priorities will be to build the party locally and to challenge Plaid Cymru in Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, and to take on this ruthless Tory government who are determined to ruin hardworking people by taking away their tax credits.

“I am looking forward to working with all new and old members in revitalising the party locally.”