Powys joins network of ‘Proud Council’ Welsh local authorities inclusive of LGBTQ+
Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter
Powys County Council is set to become a “Proud Council” and join a network of Welsh local authorities who are inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community.
This means that Powys becomes the first rural authority and the most northerly in Wales, to join the network.
The proposal was put forward at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, June 28, by deputy council leader Cllr Matthew Dorrance who is the cabinet member for a Fairer Powys.
Cllr Dorrance said: “I am very pleased to see this on the agenda for our first cabinet meeting and in Pride month.
“As an openly LGBTQ+ person in this council, it is important for us to do more to support our LGBTQ+ workforce and population in Powys.
“The Proud Council network is a group of local authorities in Wales who work together to be proactive in the work they do in terms of inclusion.
“We will be the first authority from outside South Wales and the first rural authority to join.
“I think it’s really important on a number of fronts, LGBTQ+ people live in fear of discrimination and experience it both in the workplace our communities.”
‘Leading the way’
Being involved in the partnership would allow Powys to:
- have a coordinated approach to media messages around LGBTQ+ inclusion
- staff to network with members from other local authorities
- to share resources to ensure best value for money
- to benefit from shared good practice.
Cllr Matthew Dorrance added that a study by Stonewall from 2018 highlighted the extent issues faced by LGBTQ+ people in the UK and internationally, where the death penalty still exists for in some parts of the world for people in a same sex relationship.
“We have a long way to go in terms of true equality in the world in this country where LGBTQ+ people are still being murdered and abused for who we are and who we love, “said Cllr Dorrance.
Cabinet member for learning, Cllr Peter Roberts said: “This year is seeing the first formal pride marches in our county with the largest one probably in Llandrindod in a couple of weeks’ time – it’s highly appropriate that we as an organisation send out the message to all.
“I fully endorse this as part of our wider inclusivity and tolerance agenda.”
Council leader Cllr James Gibson-Watt added: “I’m particularly delighted to see this, it’s a big step forward and shows Powys is leading the way on these issues.”
Cabinet unanimously approved the report.
The nine local authorities forming part of the Proud Councils partnership in Wales are:
- Blaenau Gwent
- Bridgend
- Caerphilly
- Cardiff
- Merthyr Tydfil
- Newport
- Rhondda Cynon Taf
- Swansea
- Torfaen
Proud Councils was formed in 2015 to ensure that local government across Wales is a visible leader in the field of LGBTQ+ rights and actively championing LGBTQ+ inclusion in our communities.
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Right on, but when will the ruling LibDem/Labour coalition resolve the status of their colleague Cllr Brighouse, suspended for speaking up for Palestine? Do they think sympathy for Palestinians is antisemitic?
What exactly did she say or do that prompted the suspension?
I’ll check later but, as I recall now many weeks later, it involved a picture of the Cllr with a Palestinian flag and the slogan “From the river to the sea” which is vague enough to be used by both sides in the Palestinian/Israeli dispute over territory.
According to the County Times -(https://www.countytimes.co.uk/news/20127481.powys-councillor-suspended-liberal-democrats-just-days-election/),
-she appeared in a tiktok video with that phrase (the vagueness, I’m sure you’d agree, is disputed) alongside an image of a burning Israeli flag. When you couple those two images, it doesn’t seem as vague. I’ve heard many people use this phrase without any anti-Semitic intent, simply as an oft-used phrase that shows solidarity with the Palestinian cause – I’d like to think that this was her motivation rather than advocacy for the genocidal revanchism that drives the more militant organisations in the area. Suspension seems about right.
spam attack?
Proudly displaying their plans to deal with the upcoming fuel and food shortages!
Often complain of lack of funds for anything yet a bout of virtue signaling can be afforded. Logic ?
Hooray! Powys Council has decided to do what they should be doing as a matter of course but have decided to make a BIG announcement about it!
Get on with running the County and stop trying to out-virtue everyone else.