A former Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council has been appointed Deputy Chair of the local Fire and Rescue Authority alongside a new Chair.

At the Fire Authority’s Annual General Meeting on Monday, June 12, 2023, Councillor John Davies of Pembrokeshire was elected Deputy Chair Councillor, at the same time Powys Councillor Gwynfor Thomas was elected Chair.

Councillor Davies has served as a Pembrokeshire County Councillor representing Cilgerran since 1999, working as Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council from 2004-2012. 

Councillor Davies has been Chair of the Board of Directors of the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society since 2012 and was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Societies of the UK in 2015.  From 2010-2018, Councillor Davies completed two terms as a member of the S4C Authority and is a former High Sheriff of Dyfed, he still spends much of his spare time as Chairman of the High Sheriff of Dyfed Trust Fund.

On his appointment as Fire Authority Deputy Chair, Councillor Davies said:

“It is a privilege and an honour to serve as Deputy Chair of such a highly regarded and trusted emergency service.  I will endeavour, along with the Chair, to support the values and objectives that deliver at the hour of need.”

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service serves Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Swansea, Powys and Neath Port Talbot. The Service covers some 4,500 square miles - almost two-thirds of the landmass of Wales - and provides public safety information, prevention and protection programmes as well as emergency response to a population of over 900,000 people.  The Service runs 58 fire stations and employs over 1,350 members of staff.