New YesCymru directors release statement as they take control of the independence campaign movement

The new directors of YesCymru have released a statement as they take control of the independence campaign movement.

The National Governing Body whose final members were elected last weekend said that they had met with Azets, the accountants firm which has been running YesCymru for five months, in order to take back control of the movement.

In a statement, the new 15 person National Governing Body said they had “now started our work”.

“The process of incorporating YesCymru as a Company Limited by Guarantee is complete,” they said. “The NGB held their first meeting with Azets on 2nd February, further meetings are scheduled over the coming weeks to ensure the hand over of administration from the interim management to the NGB is carried out smoothly and efficiently.

“This is the beginning of a new and exciting period for YesCymru, and in the coming weeks, we will look to build further on the success of the past few years, leading the way in the campaign for independence for Wales.

“The NGB held their first meeting with Azets on 2nd February, further meetings are scheduled over the coming weeks to ensure the hand over of administration from the interim management to the NGB is carried out smoothly and efficiently.”

YesCymru’s previous Central Committee resigned in August saying that they had instructed an “independent, third party firm of accountants” to “oversee limited day to day operations of the organisation”. This was later revealed to be Azets UK.

The outgoing Chair Sarah Rees has said the decision to resign “enables a totally clean break from the past and provides a clean start”.

The Central Committee’s resignation followed a period of turmoil within the organisation with a number of other resignations from the Central Committee, including that of former Chair, Sion Jobbins.

But 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.

A new National Governing Body was then elected in January.

New structure

The final board consists of:

• Gaynor Jones, Geraint Thomas and Ifor ap Dafydd in Mid and West Wales
• 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’.

However, only Gaynor Jones, Geraint Thomas and Ifor ap Dafydd were elected to their posts, due to a lack of candidates. in other regions.

Three or fewer members stood for election in the other five regions – North Wales, South Wales West, South Wales Central, South Wales East and Outside Wales – and so they were all elected automatically.

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

Despite the vote only being held in one region of Wales, it was open to all YesCymru members who signed up before December 22. 1,556 members voted in the election which was open between Friday and Sunday last week.

In a statement following the vote, YesCymru said: “After a period of drift with no committee in place to give strategic direction the new board now faces an exciting few months as it beds in and gets to grips with all the challenges and opportunities of running a mass movement.

“This NGB will begin its work at a time when Independence is firmly on the agenda of the Welsh government and demands for Wales’ independence grow as the shambles in Westminster unfolds.”

Azets administrator, Sarah Case said: “We are delighted to now be in a position to hand back the reins of Welsh independence to the newly elected governing body.

“The period of interim management has moved the organisation into calmer waters and created a foundation of new governance with which to move forward from. Handover will now commence to the new governing body.”