A member of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Conservative group has left the party to join unaffiliated members on the council says he felt not longer able to “commit my full potential to the group”.

Cllr Aaron Carey, who was a joint Conservative county councillor for the shared Pembroke Monkton and St Mary South ward with Cllr Jonathn Grimes, explained his reasons for leaving the group he has been a member of for some seven years.

Cllr Carey, who has also served as a town councillor in Pembroke, said: “Well, I've been considering it for a little while now. I've been feeling it was time for a change. I've been part of the group since being elected in 2017 and have been feeling lately that I haven't been able to commit my full potential to the group, so I felt parting ways amicably was the right thing for me personally.

“I have committed to continue to work with Jonathan (Grimes) within the ward and in cooperation the same as we have since the 2022 election and keep the people of Pembroke and Monkton at the forefront of my mind for any decisions or debates I'm involved in and keep fighting together for our fair piece of the pie.

“I am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that being an unaffiliated member will bring and hopefully continue working together with all groups of council in the spirit that we should be, with the people of Pembrokeshire first.”

Earlier this year, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Conservative group numbers were bolstered when Conservative candidate Claire Victoria George was elected county councillor for St Ishmaels, a seat vacant after the death of the late Cllr Reg Owens.

Conservative group members on the 60-strong council are now: Leader Di Clements, David Bryan, Mark Carter, Claire George, Jonathan Grimes, David Howlett, Rhys Jordan, Aled Thomas, Steve Yelland, and Danny Young.

There are 17 unaffiliated members on the council, 19 Independent Group members, 10 Conservative, 10 Labour, two Plaid Cymru, and two Liberal Democrat.