A Welsh weekly has quite literally been given the “thumbs up” by a council engulfed in a row over which Facebook pages it should like.

The Carmarthen Journal was relieved to find it had won the approval of Llangunnor Community Council, after a meeting saw councillors clash about which organisations the authority should use its own recently-launched page on the social networking site to support.

The debate, described by the Journal as “a scene reminiscent of the TV show the Vicar of Dibley”, came after it was revealed the council’s three-person web committee had decided to ‘like’ organisations and groups on Facebook without the approval of their fellow representatives.

One councillor, Sandra Thomas, questioned why it had decided to ‘like’ a page dedicated to a local further education college’s equine studies department, leading another councillor to comment:   “I don’t even like horses.”

Mrs Thomas added: “Why are only three councillors deciding what we as a council ‘like’ on Facebook?  We should all be involved.”

The web committee eventually agreed to send the clerk a list of groups that they think the council should ‘like’ on Facebook so they can be put on the council agenda and get approval at meetings.

Thankfully the Journal’s own Facebook page was not so contentious and remains ‘liked’ by the Community Council, despite the new agreement.

Journal editor Emma Bryant commented: “We were of course very relieved to see that Llangunnor Community Council had given the Journal’s Facebook page a thumbs up.

“Other pages will obviously now have to work very hard to even make it on to the council’s next agenda – never mind get an actual ‘like’ from these discerning councillors.

“And it seems the giant that is Facebook, hasn’t quite conquered the entire world – yet.”