A fresh call for Pembrokeshire Council’s chairman rather than presiding member to chair full council meetings has been made once again.

Pembrokeshire County Council meetings have been chaired by a presiding member since 2020, first Cllr Pat Davies and currently Cllr Simon Hancock.

The position replaces a role previously occupied by chair of the council, the role of council chairman now taking on more of a civic function, with Cllr Steve Alderman the current incumbent.

In a notice of motion before PCC’s March 6 meeting, Cllr Jamie Adams asked that: “Pembrokeshire County Council should revert the responsibility and honour of Chairing our Full Council meetings to the Chair of Council for the next Municipal Year, 2025/26.”

Cllr Adams, leader of the council under the previous administration, has previously made similar calls.

A call in late 2023 saw heated debate in the council chamber on the subject of a presiding member, with claims there was an “opportunistic political move” to remove the post.

An amendment, to a recommendation to support remuneration of the role, was put forward by Councillor Jamie Adams to delete the role of presiding member from the next election, reverting to the previous chairman role.

However, Deputy Leader Cllr Paul Miller said the proposal by Cllr Adams was “an entirely opportunistic political move” to oust Cllr Hancock.

During a heated meeting, which attracted the ire of Councillor Alan Dennison and Councillor Aled Thomas – Cllr Miller said some previous elected chairs were ‘patsies’ elected by the-then ruling independent political group, under the leadership of Cllr Adams.

Following that meeting, the matter was discussed at the council’s Constitutional Review Committee, stating it had “absolute opposition” to abolishing the post.

Cllr Adams’ 2025 notice of motion has now been referred to a future meeting of the council’s Constitutional Review Committee.