The seat of a Pembroke county councillor who is facing historic sex charges will not be declared empty, members have decided following specialist legal advice.

Pembrokeshire County Councillors decided against going into secret session to discuss the lack of representation for residents in the Pembroke St Mary North Ward.

Councillor Dai Boswell has not attended a council meeting since being elected in June last year.

Cllr Boswell is facing claims of historic child sex offences and denies any wrong doing.

Under the Local Government Act any member that does not attend meetings, including committees and sub committees, within a six month period, will cease to be a member.

But today (Thursday) councillors heard legal advice that because Cllr Boswell - referred to throughout as councillor X - had been to some member seminars, he was considered to have attended council meetings under the Local Government Act.

Some members, including councillor Josh Beynon, challenged that view, saying that in his opinion seminars - which are not open to the public and press for example - should not be classed as meetings.

But members voted overwhelmingly to support the recommendation that the seat be not declared empty.