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Welsh word added to new constituency name despite opposition from councillor

26 Jan 2025 3 minute read
Monmouth Castle. Photo by Richard Croft is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

Twm Owen, local democracy reporter

A proposal to add an extra Welsh word to a constituency name has been made – a councillor opposed to dropping the English name was told.

Sixteen new constituencies across Wales are being created for the 2026 Senedd elections when the Welsh Parliament will be extended by a further 36 politicians.

In December the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, which has created the new boundaries by pairing the 32 existing Westminster constituencies, announced most would have only Welsh language names. Only four will have bilingual names where words such as east or west are included in the name.

Conservative councillor for Raglan, Penny Jones, asked if Monmouthshire council would support a bilingual name for the new constituency, paired with Torfaen, which the boundary commission has said will be named Mynwy Torfaen.

However Councillor Angela Sandles, the Labour cabinet member responsible for equalities, said while the council has suggested an amendment to the name, it is to add an additional Welsh word.

‘Reflect the county’

The Caldicot councillor said: “In our submission we requested a change to Sir Fynwy / Torfaen to better reflect the county rather than the locality, Monmouth.”

‘Sir’ is the Welsh for county, while the Welsh name for Monmouth is Trefynwy which combines ‘tref’ for town with the name of the river, Gwy (Wye).

Cllr Jones said she was opposed to a Welsh only name and had originally asked “how can the residents of Monmouthshire be assured that this administration is working on their behalf to maintain the identity of Monmouthshire and all that that embodies?”

She then said the council’s democratic services committee wasn’t given the opportunity to discuss the commission’s consultation and said “the name change seems to have slipped under the radar.”

Cllr Jones had asked for the council to “give feedback” making it clear councillors hadn’t been directly aware of the name change and asked the council support maintaining bilingual names.

‘Imposition’

She said: “Many residents are angry at the imposition of constituency name changes that are not bilingual and it must not be forgotten despite the Welsh Government target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050 that would only mean one in three would do so and it is not the first language of Monmouthshire.”

Cllr Sandles said councillors and others had the opportunity to respond to the commission’s consultation and also reminded councillors the 2026 boundaries are set to be further reviewed ahead of the following Senedd election in 2030.

She said that may have “more significant changes” for Monmouthshire which at present remains as a whole county in one constituency, rather than being split between two as was the case with old Westminster seats that were redrawn before the last general election.

Cllr Sandles said it also needed to be established whether the Monmouthshire referred to was the county established by Henry VIII, that was in place for more than 400 years, or the current boundaries based on 1996 local government reorganisation.

A new proportional system is being used to elect six Senedd Members electing each new constituency.


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Gareth
Gareth
11 days ago

Just a quick correction: the river in the name ‘Trefynwy’ is the Mynwy (Monnow), which joins the Wye at Monmouth and is where then ‘Mon’ in Monmouth also comes.

Valley Girl
Valley Girl
11 days ago

Where we have the opportunity all place names in Wales etc should be in Welsh and Wales should follow what many countries are doing around the world – addressing the damage caused by. colonisation.

John Howard Edwards
John Howard Edwards
8 days ago
Reply to  Valley Girl

I agree. English has been the linguistic equivalent of Japanese Knotwood – strangling and displacing indigenous languages around the globe.

Daniel Pitt
Daniel Pitt
11 days ago

Tories trying to force us to erase our own cultural heritage

Brychan
Brychan
11 days ago

It should be Sir Fynwy & Torfaen.
No need for English translation.

Evan Aled Bayton
Evan Aled Bayton
11 days ago

Gareth is correct. When I was a child Monmouth was pronounced Munmouth consistent with the Welsh name but population mobility has changed it to Monmouth in pronunciation. The locals had a soft Herefordshire type accent in English and said Mummershire. Ivor Waters records this.

John Ellis
John Ellis
11 days ago

Indeed – when I moved into Wales in the mid-’60s, ultimately in fact ending up living in Abergavenny, even the cultivated and grammatically polished locals in the town invariably said ‘Munmouthshire’.

Dr John Ball
Dr John Ball
11 days ago

I’m always a little suspicious when I see the word “many.”
How many, do they actually exist, or only in the fevered mind of Councillor Jones?

Cymro Penperllenni
Cymro Penperllenni
11 days ago

We need to be strong and ensure that our beautiful language is protected and promoted. Sir Fynwy/Torfaen – Da iawn Cynghorydd Llafur Sandles. Gwarthus Cynghorydd Ceidwadol Penny Jones

Garycymru
Garycymru
11 days ago

Penny Jones views are absolutely awful for a Councillor. The days of having our culture exterminated by her type are nearly done.

Ben Davies
Ben Davies
6 days ago
Reply to  Garycymru

Unfortunately “nearly” gives her and her type plenty of scope for further irreparable damage. Where do these people come from? They do more damage than they realise. Well, if I was being charitable. They know darn well the damage that they do.

Last edited 6 days ago by Ben Davies

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