A LABOUR Ammanford town councillor has crossed the floor to join the Plaid Cymru group.

The decision by councillor Helen Rees sees the Labour party no longer represented on Ammanford town council, in what Plaid is calling a "truly historic event".

The town council is now made up of 12 Plaid Cymru and two Independent councillors.

Town and county councillor Deian Harries said: “People who love this town see for themselves how much Plaid has achieved for our community. The only reason we exist as a party is to put our local communities and Wales first. That is attracting more and more people to join and support Plaid.”

Carmarthen East and Dinefwr Member of the Senedd, Adam Price said that despite Ammanford's labour stronghold during his time growing up in the area, times in Wales, he said, are changing.

Adding: "We have seen many communities, at a very local level, vote for Plaid Cymru due to their dissatisfaction with the status quo in Wales. A Labour Government in power for a generation has let its citizens down, and these local changes are indication that people are starting to believe that we can do better. It give me great pride to think of the Ammanford area as a new heartland for Plaid Cymru.”

Earlier this year, in a shock move, four Labour councillors on Ammanford town council walked out amid claims that members had been deliberately blocking business designed to improve the town.

Wendi Mills-Lowe, Carol Cadman, Paula Treharne-Hanbury and Marie Griffiths, walked out on the council in “anger and frustration”, claiming Plaid Cymru members had been “playing party politics” instead of seeking to work for the benefit the town.

In response to the latest town council changes, Cllr Rob James, leader of Carmarthenshire Labour said that Adam Price and Plaid councillors should not be "crowing about the fact that the council is in such disarray".

"The fact that individuals have no desire currently to engage with the town council is shocking," he said.

“Local residents see the utter shambles that is the Plaid Cymru-led Ammanford town council - failing to support the town centre with local businesses on its knees, wasting public funds on promotional websites that were never launched and materials that lay unused in storage, and Plaid Cymru Councillors kicking the new multi-million Ammanford Primary in the long grass.

“Plaid Cymru should stop celebrating their bullying and underhand tactics and start looking after the town. We’ll continue to highlight the abject failure of Plaid Cymru councillors and look forward to local residents deciding at the next election whether they agree that it's time for change in Ammanford."