Majority of members on YesCymru’s new governing body elected automatically

The majority of members who were nominated to YesCymru’s governing body have been elected automatically due to a lack of candidates.

The independence movement moved to a new regional structure after a vote in December, based on the Senedd regions.

But there were no more than three candidates in four of the regions, meaning they were elected automatically. In two of the regions, only two members put themselves forward.

Only one region, mid and west Wales, saw more than three candidates standing, with seven doing so. As a result there will be an election to choose who represents the region.

Three directors will represent each of the five regions, with an additional two from outside Wales. There were a total of 19 nominations, with 17 slots in total.

Voting opens at 8am on January 28 and closes on January 30, and is open to all members who signed up before December 22.

In Mid and West Wales, Geraint Roberts, Owain Williams, Gaynor Jones, Jim Dunckley, John Rhys Davies, Geraint Thomas and Ifor ap Dafydd will compete for votes.

New structure

The members already on the governing body without an election include:

• John Williams, Elgan Owen and Elfed Williams in North Wales
• Christine Moore and Nerys Jenkins in South Wales West
• Mihangel ap Williams and Phyl Griffiths in South Wales East
• Andrew Murphy, George Hudson and Richard Huw Morgan in South Wales Central
• Louise Aikman and Bary Parkin represent ‘Outside Wales’.

In December YesCymru members voted to adopt a new structure and constitution for the campaign group. 80% or 2717 voted in favour of the motion, and just 489 against.

The changes to YesCymru’s structure come after a period of in-fighting within the movement which saw a vote of no confidence in the Central Committee, whose members collectively resigned from their posts shortly thereafter.

The Gweithgor working group was then set up from voluntary members of different YesCymru branches to look at the structure, finance, governance, procedures, groups and some wider policies such as social media.