The Llandovery county councillor and former mayor has been elected as chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council.

Cllr Handel Davies of the Llandovery ward took the chain of office on May 22.

Reflecting on the role, he expressed gratitude to his predecessor, Cllr Louvain Roberts for her service and said: "I’m very much looking forward to the year ahead, and to a varied and interesting year."

Next on the agenda for the busy councillor is his 12-month tenure, which will see his wife Margaret fulfil the role of consort and Cllr Dot Jones of Llannon act as vice-chairperson.

In addition, he'll be supporting LATCH Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity and Prostrate Cymru charities throughout his time in office.

Cllr Davies' key responsibilities now include chairing council meetings and representing the council at formal and ceremonial occasions.

He will also welcome visitors to Carmarthenshire and support events organised by local bodies and organisations.

Having served as a county councillor for Llandovery since May 2017 and being a member of Llandovery Town Council, Cllr Davies brings with him a wealth of experience.

His previous roles include serving as a mayor for two years and contributing to Llanfairarybryn Community Council since 2017.

Armed with a diverse portfolio of council work, Cllr Davies represents the council on various boards and committees and sits on the governing body of Ysgol Rhys Pritchard and is a member of the Heart of Wales Line Forum amongst many more.

Despite retiring from his role as department head of building control with the council, he remains active in community matters.

His interests range from being president of Llandovery RFC and Friend of Llandovery Hospital to the vice chairman of Côr Meibion Llanymddyfri and captain of Llandovery Golf Club.