Town council motion rejecting divisiveness could be template for local authorities across Wales

Martin Shipton

Members of a town council have unanimously backed a motion that commits it to uphold the welcoming values of Wales and reject divisiveness.

There are hopes that the Llanelli Town Council motion could be rolled out by local authorities across Wales to demonstrate that they support all the residents in the areas they represent.

In recent years, Llanelli has been the focus of some far-right activity. The so-called Voice of Wales group, which is allied to the criminal activist who calls himself Tommy Robinson, hijacked a campaign that opposed Home Office plans to house asylum seekers in the town’s Stradey Park Hotel.

The plan was dropped, but not before a bill of £500,000 was racked up by Dyfed-Powys Police, which had to deal with sometimes rowdy protests.

The council motion sends out “a warm Welsh welcome for everyone, whatever their background, faith, identity or ability” and makes the point that Llanelli is ready to do business with the world.

Proposed and seconded by Labour councillors Gareth Lloyd and Shaun Greaney, the motion said the authority was “concerned that divisive rhetoric and misinformation in public debate can create fear and hostility towards minority communities, and believes democratic debate at every level should be conducted with respect, without scapegoating any group.”

The town council “values” its work with organisations such as the Llanelli Multicultural Network and “will continue to work with residents and partners to challenge misinformation, promote respectful dialogue and strengthen community relationships”.

The motion calls on all elected representatives to uphold these principles so that every resident feels safe, heard and treated with dignity.

Councillor Lloyd said his motion was inspired by TUC Cymru and was “non-political”.

Its aim was to show that the town’s councillors “do, and will continue to, uphold the values of equality, respect and inclusion, and that we recognise our responsibility to act as role models for all members of our community.

“We live in an era when public trust is increasingly challenged by misinformation and divisive rhetoric.

“It is therefore important that, as elected representatives, we demonstrate through our words and actions that every member of our community deserves to feel welcome, respected and valued.”

Cllr Lloyd urged councillors to accept the motion in the spirit in which it was intended. He said: “It is not about party politics or criticising any particular viewpoint.

“It is about reaffirming the principles that should unite us as a council: equality, dignity, mutual respect and solidarity with everyone who calls Llanelli home.

“We may have different opinions, but we share a responsibility to represent our whole community and to ensure that nobody feels excluded, intimidated or unwelcome.”

Cllr Greaney said: “I strongly believe Llanelli’s future and its friendly reputation go hand-in-hand.

“It is for this council to continue to show the leadership the town deserves, as it has done for many, many years.

“Therefore, I call upon all members to approve this motion in keeping with our Welsh heritage of keeping a welcome, regardless of our political differences.”

Collective responsibility

Llanelli Town Council leader and independent councillor Sean Rees said: “Equality and inclusion should not be the responsibility of one individual, one committee or one group. They are a collective responsibility which is shared by every member of this council.

“It is important to recognise that as a council we have already a record of positive representation and progress. Representation is important, but it is only one part of the picture. We must also consider whether all sections of our community feel that they have a voice and that their experiences are understood.

“As councillors, we have a responsibility to lead by example. The language we use, the attitudes we demonstrate and the decisions we take all contribute to the culture of this council and send a message about the kind of community we want Llanelli to be.”

Llanelli Town Council has no councillors representing Reform UK.