A County councillor has resigned from the Welsh Liberal Democrats party after he blamed increasing pressure on the ambulance service on immigrants.

Penparcau councillor Lloyd Edwards has been heavily criticised after he suggested immigrants were to blame for increasing pressure on the Welsh Ambulance Service, stating “they don’t pay for the service and they get the same service the ordinary people get”, during a council meeting on 9 December.

The Welsh Liberal Democrats condemned Cllr Edwards’ comments. Cllr Edwards resigned from the party on Monday, prior to disciplinary action due to take place at 8pm that evening, but he will remain on the council as an independent instead.

Cllr Edwards refused to comment.

A spokesperson for the Welsh Liberal Democrats said: “Ceredigion should be an open place for anyone who chooses to make their life there, including asylum seekers and refugees. Wales and Ceredigion have a proud history of welcoming those seeking sanctuary and the Welsh Liberal Democrats will continue to fight to make sure that is the case.”

Welsh Liberal Democrats Leader and Mid and West Wales MS Jane Dodds said the comments were “utterly unacceptable”.

While discussing a notice of motion to reduce the number of ambulances at Cardigan and Aberystwyth during the December meeting, Cllr Edwards stated: “I’ve listened to everyone speaking. Nobody knows why these cuts are being made.

“In my opinion, we are at fault here and the government as well.

“I believe a lot of immigrants have come into this county and then they get the same help as people that have been born and bred in the county.

“That puts more pressure on the ambulance staff and the Welsh Government haven’t kept going with what they’ve done by bringing the immigrants into Wales and Ceredigion.

“I’m talking about people from overseas. They don’t pay for the service and they get the same service the ordinary people get.”

Leader of the Council Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn responded: “Just so that Lloyd understands, only 50 immigrants, as he calls them, have been welcomed here.

“They were refugees not immigrants, if he’s talking about people from overseas. They have come here to get our help and only 50 people from Syria have come.

“Up to now, although we have offered accommodation, no refugees from Afghanistan have arrived here. But the door is open to them should they need shelter.”

Stand up to Racism Wales “condemned wholeheartedly” his comments: “In an era where racism, anti-semitism, and Islamaphobia is on the rise, and racist attacks on black people and people of colour in Aberystwyth area in the past 12 months, Cllr Edwards’ comments will only fuel and give confidence to the racists and the far right.”

Cllr Alun Williams added: “As someone who worked in the health service in Ceredigion for close to 25 years, I know that many people born here would no longer be alive without the help and care of people originally from other countries.

“Not only would the NHS collapse overnight without them, it would never have existed in the first place. Nurses and doctors were actively recruited from overseas from the very beginning. And these people are wonderful.”