A LLANDEILO councillor is calling on members of the public to consider standing for election on to the town council at the next local election in 2022.

Cllr Christoph Fischer is also urging people to attend the monthly meetings of the council.

"There were few contested seats in the last decade," he said. "It's come so far that people on Facebook do question town councillors' legitimacy because these people don't remember ever voting for us.

"We're in desperate need for fresh blood and ideas."

Cllr Fischer added: "At present there are only two councillors under the age of 50 on Llandeilo town council and only three women out of 12, or 15 if you count the officers. In 2017 seven people stood in Towy ward for the six seats whereas in Castle ward it was six candidates for six people without an election."

Fischer tabled a motion in December to allow the public access to council zoom meetings and allow them to speak.

The motion was delayed until the March meeting causing frustration within the council.

Cllr Fischer said: “This is frustrating as zoom is simple to use and other councils have managed to handle this quickly due to an openness and their better understanding of the technology available.

"Welsh Government suspended the requirement to make our meetings public during the pandemic, but we were actually not aware of this at the time and also never lost the option to keep them public if we so chose. The bureaucracy and slow speed I encountered in this shows the need for a more balanced council. Particularly in lockdown people would have had the time to tune into our meetings and get an appetite to get involved.

“People don’t see us in action and don’t hear what councillors stand for.”

Council meetings are now being held again face to face and up to five visitors will be allowed to attend (but not speak at) those meetings.

"This is some progress but nothing compared to our neighbours in Manordeilo and Salem who for some time freely publish a link to their zoom meeting for the public to join and warmly welcome those who do," added Cllr Fischer.