Former Police Inspector Is New Chairman

The new Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council is Councillor Tony Brinsden, a former Detective Chief Inspector. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Brinsden was installed as Chairman at today’s Annual Meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council. He succeeds Councillor Wynne Evans, County Councillor for Narberth. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Brinsden, who has been County Councillor for Amroth since 2004, supported a number of high-profile criminal cases in Pembrokeshire during his career in the Regional Crime Squad. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Based mainly at Llanelli CID, Councillor Brinsden worked on the investigation into a major drug-smuggling operation at Aberbach in 1985, and supported the Pembrokeshire investigations into the Scoveston and coast path murders committed by John Cooper. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On his retirement from the police force in 1995, he returned to his native Llanteg and spent some years working for the Welsh Blood Transfusion Service before setting up a private investigation business with a former police colleague, which continued until he was elected Member for Amroth. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He was born and brought up at Stanwell, a smallholding at Llanteg, and attended Crunwere and Amroth primary schools and Narberth Grammar School. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Brinsden was a member of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority from 2004-13, and Chairman of the Authority from 2011-13. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In his spare time, he enjoys taking one of his three MG sports cars out for a spin and taking part in classic car runs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

His consort during his year of office will be his wife of 53 years, Margaret. The couple have two children, Helen and Andrew, and five grand-children. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A vote of thanks was given to the outgoing Chairman, Cllr Wynne Evans, by Council Leader, Councillor Jamie Adams. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He said Councillor Evans had fulfilled over 450 engagements in his year of office. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new Vice-Chairman is Councillor Paul Harries, who represents Newport. He was proposed by Councillor Wynne Evans and seconded by Councillor Pat Davies. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The ceremony at County Hall, Haverfordwest was attended by the Deputy Lieutenant, Sharron Lusher. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Caption ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The new Chairman, Councillor Tony Brinsden, is pictured seated (centre) with Mrs Brinsden, following the Council’s annual meeting. They are flanked (from the left) by: Ian Westley (Chief Executive); Councillor Paul Harries (new Vice Chairman) and Deputy Lieutenant Sharron Lusher. Standing (left to right) are: Councillor Wynne Evans (past Chairman); Mrs Gwyneth Johns (past Chairman’s consort); Councillor Jamie Adams (Leader); Mrs Rose Harries (Vice Chairman’s spouse) and Councillor Keith Lewis (Deputy Leader). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​