Dai Lloyd Evans will continue to lead Ceredigion Council

Plans to build around 6,000 houses have proved controversial with a campaign for a directly-elected mayor arising out of opposition to the scheme.

The proposal for the London-style mayor was defeated in a referendum last month. Mr Evans, who was re-elected leader following a meeting of the new council on Wednesday, has said more houses could be built.

He added that some areas in the county, the number of houses that would be allowed under the present Ceredigion Unitary Development Plan (UDP) have already been built and more may be needed.

Mr Evans told BBC Radio Cymru: "What I would like to see is an assessment of the needs of every village in the county that has used its quota.

"In some villages, some young people are waiting to have planning permission, which they can't have as the land has not been notified for development."

Mayor rejected

The build-up to last week's local elections in Ceredigion was dominated by the 20 May referendum over whether to have a directly-elected mayor.

The mayor proposal was rejected by voters, leaving the council cabinet system in place.

The campaign for the elected mayor had began with opposition to plans to build 6,000 new homes in the county, which campaigners claimed would damage the local environment and the Welsh language.

Independent councillor Mr Evans was re-elected leader of Ceredigion Council on Wednesday when he won by 24 votes to 16 over Plaid Cymru's Ellen ap Gwynne.

New coalition

He heads the new Independent-Liberal Democrat coalition, a group that was formed in the aftermath of the council elections.

Despite becoming the largest single group on the council, Plaid has not been included in the ruling cabinet.

The newly-formed Independent-Lib Dem coalition consists of nine Liberal Democrats, 12 Independents and three more non-group Independent councillors.

At the election, Plaid gained four seats in Ceredigion to become the largest party by a single seat from the Independent group.

There was a high turnout at the election in Ceredigion

However, following his election as leader of the county council, Mr Evans told BBC Wales that it was the wish of his coalition group that Plaid Cymru would not be offered a seat on the new cabinet.

Plaid had called on the coalition to form a cabinet that reflected the voting pattern at the election.

They argued that with Plaid receiving 40% of the vote in Ceredigion, from a high turnout of 53%, they should have representation on the new cabinet.

But the Lib Dems said that they would not support Plaid involvement.

The composition of the new cabinet is expected to be announced next week.

The cabinet system is a recent change to the local government system in the UK where the main decisions are taken by groups of leading councillors, often in meetings closed to the press or public.

It was designed to make council decision-making more accountable and responsive.

But many councillors across UK local authorities have complained at being left outside the decision-making process.