A confidence vote against the leader of a west Wales council at the centre of a language row over its top education post has been defeated.

The no-confidence poll against Carmarthenshire Council's Leader Meryl Gravell was defeated by 36-28 with one abstention.

The vote was brought following anger over an attempt to appoint a non Welsh-speaking director of education who had never worked in Wales.

The centralised cabinet - which runs the authority - had wanted to appoint Michael Stoten, a former director of education in Kensington and Chelsea.

Deadline

The council - in a predominantly Welsh-speaking area - had rejected six Welsh-speaking candidates in his favour.

The move led to angry protests from teaching unions, language groups and the local community.

The council later extended the deadline for applications for the post and finally appointed the former director of education at the old Dyfed Council, John Ellis, on an interim basis.

The vote focused on the way the controlling Independent and Plaid Cymru group approached the issue of a new director of education.

Control

While councillors decided what to do about their political leaders, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg - The Welsh Language Society, lobbied the meeting about the role of council officials in the row. But their protesters were outnumbered by children campaigning for a skateboard track.

Meanwhile, the new temporary director of education has stressed the need for bridge-building at the authority.

John Ellis has spent much of the early days in his new post meeting staff and beginning what he calls the "healing process".