Following the local election results for 2017 a coalition between Plaid Cymru and the Independents means that Plaid Cymru are now in control of Carmarthenshire County Council.
The results saw Plaid Cymru fall short of a majority by only two seats and the largest margin of victory the party has ever seen in the county.
The question for Plaid Cymru now is whether they can repeat this success for their candidate for MP Mari Arthur. Plaid will have to do some quick work in Llanelli Town specifically, which chose to boot out any sign of Plaid Cymru.
The Town Council elections also signified discontent with Plaid Cymru as Labour gained a huge majority there.
Plaid Cymru recorded its largest majority partly due to the Welsh language strongholds of the Gwendraeth Valley and the towns West of Llanelli including Carmarthen.
Voters in Llanelli Town may well be forgiven for believing that they are now on a hiding to nothing as they will be represented by a coalition who’s majority includes a party they did not vote for.
It could be argued that they now have more in common with their post industrial neighbour in Swansea. There have long been rumblings that Llanelli should jump ship to that region.
Mari Arthur and Plaid Cymru now have some hard work ahead if they are going to achieve the swing they need to wrestle the Labour seat away from Nia Griffith.
The wards they would need to convince are some of the most deprived in Carmarthenshire and crucially some of which Labour have claimed the previous Plaid led administration have ignored.
In the Burry Port, Dafen and Felinfoel wards Plaid Cymru recorded 0% of the votes. In Swiss Valley Ward Plaid only took 8% of the vote. In the Elli Ward they took 13%. In Llwynhendy 14%, Lliedi and Pembrey 19% and Bigyn 21%.
Their strongest showing was in Pontyberem, Kidwelly, Llangennech and Llannon all at 40% or above.
The wards between 30% and 40% included Bynea, Glyn, Glanymor, Hengoed, Hendy, Trimsaran and Tyisha. These could be crucial in the election campaign along with the wards where Plaid scored 0%. These are where residents may expect most Plaid activity over the next four weeks.
Mari Arthur told Llanelli Online in an interview recently that she was a keen strategist and that she had a plan.
It looks like it may include some serious door knocking in and around Llanelli Town and the closest neighbouring wards with a list of what the Plaid led administration has done in the first four weeks of their term in office.
A day is a long tome in politics. Four weeks is even longer. The contentious issues in the town including asset transfers, Parc Howard, Pembrey Country Park and the Town Centre are ones, which Mr Dole and his team will have to move swiftly on. Openness and transparency at County Hall will be closely scrutinised by some of the local media too.
The majority of the people of Llanelli specifically will need a lot of convincing from the Plaid led council they have not voted for before they consider ousting their traditionally favoured Labour MP.
Come June 9th Carmarthenshire may have a new MP if enough people decide that the party can be trusted to deliver the goods.
