In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.20 of
the Constitution, Councillor Elfed Wyn ab Elwyn will propose as follows:-
(I) I
propose that this Council expresses its opposition to the continuation of the
title of 'Prince of Wales' and asks the relevant authorities to consult
formally with the people of Wales on the question of whether the title should
be abolished or not.
(II) I
propose that the Council opposes any investiture being held in Gwynedd, or anywhere
on Welsh soil.
Decision:
(i)
That this Council expresses
its opposition to the continuation of the title of 'Prince of Wales' and asks
the relevant authorities to consult formally with the people of Wales on the question
of whether the title should be abolished or not.
(ii)
That the Council opposes any investiture being held in Gwynedd, or
anywhere on Welsh soil.
Minutes:
Submitted - the following notice of motion by
Councillor Elfed Wyn ab Elwyn in accordance with Section 4.20 of the
Constitution, and it was seconded:-
(i)
That this Council expresses
its opposition to the continuation of the title of 'Prince of Wales' and asks
the relevant authorities to consult formally with the people of Wales on the
question of whether the title should be abolished or not.
(ii)
That the Council opposes
any investiture being held in Gwynedd, or anywhere on Welsh soil.
The member set out the context to his motion,
noting that:-
·
The Prince of Wales
title had been a sore on our nation for centuries and that it reminded us that
we were owned by the system, rather than citizens in our own country. It was noted that the time had come for us a
nation to oppose this title, and to object to the undemocratic values
represented by the idea of a Prince of Wales.
·
He did not consider himself a property of the
principality, but rather as someone who was equal to his fellow man.
·
The public funding that
was spent to keep the Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales post, was
wasteful considering the cost of living crisis people were facing.
·
Some members remembered
the 1969 investiture, and the national divide and animosity that arose as a
result, but the animosity and uproar that would arise as a result of any
investiture today would be worse.
·
Very much had changed
since 1969, as Wales now had its own Senedd, with our
own Welsh democratic values appearing to be growing as our Government and Senedd received more powers. It was noted that the old perception of Wales
as a principality or 'the little principality' was now something that belonged
to the previous millennium, and that it was about time for us to be free of
this old title that had caused us so much disgrace.
A registered vote was
called for on the motion.
A member noted that he would abstain his vote on
the issue on the grounds of:-
·
He did not consider that
the motion was of great importance to our nation in the current situation, as
the best way of addressing the energy cost crisis, and any other crisis that we
would face, was by ensuring independence for Wales.
·
Many people in favour
of independence were also in favour of the Royal Family.
·
54 countries were part
of the Commonwealth and that he also wished for Wales to be part of them.
The proposal was supported by a number of other
members on the grounds of:-
·
The alternative aim of
political conservatism was respect towards hierarchy and authority, and that
anyone who wished to see a society where everyone was equal rejected the idea
of monarchy, as the idea of monarchy in itself placed inequality at the heart
of our political establishment.
·
Monarchy set an
infrastructure of inequality and was incompatible with this day and age and
that several other countries across the world fully objected to the concept.
·
The decision to grant
the title to Prince William had been made without consulting with the Welsh Government.
·
It was important to
hear the voices of Welsh citizens on the matter, and that the motion was a
possibility for this to take place openly and democratically.
·
The Prince of Wales
title had been created to belittle Wales, and to remind us that we were not
independent, or would be independent.
·
The Prince of Wales did
not know anything about our country and language, and did not know anything
about the services we use in Wales.
·
Supporting independence
was not the same as supporting the Prince of Wales title.
·
The Prince of Wales
title was a symbol of something undemocratic and unequal and completely
contrary to the core principles of this Council's Plan.
According to Procedural Rules, the following
vote on the motion was recorded:-
In
favour (46) Councillors:- Craig ab Iago, Menna
Baines, Beca Brown, Glyn Daniels, Dafydd Owen Davies, Elwyn Edwards, Elfed Wyn
ap Elwyn, Dylan Fernley, Delyth Lloyd Griffiths, Jina Gwyrfai, Elin Hywel, Nia
Jeffreys, Berwyn Parry Jones, Dawn Lynne Jones, Dewi Jones, Elin Walker Jones,
Elwyn Jones, Gwilym Jones, Gareth Tudor Jones, Huw Wyn Jones, Kim Jones, Linda A.Jones, June Jones, Menna Jones, Cai Larsen, Dafydd
Meurig, Dilwyn Morgan, Edgar Wyn Owen, Llio Elenid Owen, Rheinallt Puw, Beca
Roberts, Elfed P Roberts, Meryl Roberts, Richard Glyn Roberts, Huw Llwyd Rowlands, Paul Rowlinson, Dyfrig Siencyn, Ioan
Thomas, Peter Thomas, Rhys Tudur, Einir Wyn Williams, Eirwyn Williams, Elfed
Williams, Gareth Williams, Gruffydd Williams and Sasha Williams.
Against (4) Councillors:- Stephen Churchman, Eryl
Jones-Williams, John Pughe and Rob Triggs.
Abstentions (4) Councillors:- Annwen
Hughes, Richard Medwyn Hughes, Dewi Owen and Gwynfor Owen.
The Chair noted that the motion had been
carried.
RESOLVED to adopt the motion, namely:-
(i)
That this Council expresses its opposition to the continuation of the
title of 'Prince of Wales' and asks the relevant authorities to consult
formally with the people of Wales on the question of whether the title should
be abolished or not.
(ii)
That the Council opposes any investiture being held in Gwynedd, or
anywhere on Welsh soil.