Pembrokeshire County Council's new Labour leader is looking forward to the challenges of the job.

The Pembroke Dock councillor takes over from Councillor Joyce Watson, who is on Labour's list of regional candidates and will be busy during next year's Welsh Assembly elections.

Cllr Perkins, who will also be this year's Pembroke Dock mayor, has been a strong advocate of providing help to the most needy and vulnerable members of the community,.

One of her priorities has been to work with and help provide facilities for young people Pledging to play an active role as leader, Cllr Perkins says she will work with Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat groups to pressurise what she described as the Tories masquerading as Independents, who run the authority in a secretive and undemocratic way'.

She is highly critical of the recent handling of the chief executive pay rise, which was done behind doors without reference to all but six of the 60 council members.

"I look forward to the challenge of the job and working with the Labour Group to make Pembrokeshire a better and more democratic place to live," she said.