POWYS has a new Assembly Member after Helen Mary Jones confirmed she will take her place in the Senedd.
The Plaid Cymru AM replaces the previous member for Mid and West Wales, Simon Thomas, who resigned last week from the Assembly and the party following his arrest on suspicion of possessing indecent images.
Ms Mary Jones had previously been Plaid’s Mid and West Wales AM from 2003 to 2007 and has served as the Llanelli AM, in two spells, from 1999 to 2003 and from 2007 to 2011 when she lost her constituency seat to Labour.
The 58-year-old expressed "profound regret" at the "difficult circumstances" in which she is returning to the National Assembly but said that she was ready to undertake "the great honour" of serving the people of Mid and West Wales to the best of her ability.
Speaking before taking the oath in a private ceremony at the National Assembly later today, Ms Mary Jones said:"It is a great honour to have the opportunity to serve the people of Mid and West Wales in our National Assembly.
"I feel a profound sense of regret at the difficult circumstances in which I will be returning to the Senedd.
"Despite this, I know that there is a job of work to do in representing the people of Mid and West Wales and in giving them and their communities the strongest voice possible in our national parliament.
"I look forward to giving of my best for the region and for Wales."
The National Assembly has confirmed Ms Mary Jones will take the vacant Plaid Cymru seat.
No by-election has been held as regional seats are allocated to parties, using a form of proportional representation, and if one becomes vacant the seat is offered to the next candidate on the party’s list from the most recent election.