A)
NOTICE OF MOTION BY COUNCILLOR EINIR
WILLIAMS
In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Einir Williams will propose as follows:-
Protecting Welsh Place Names on Ordnance Survey Maps
I want to express deep and passionate concern about the current Ordnance
Survey (OS) policy which is leading to the deletion, undermining and ignoring
of Welsh place names that have been part of our landscape for centuries.
Ordnance Survey maps currently:
·
Replace
historic Welsh names with English ones that have no basis or tradition, e.g. The
Mushroom Garden for Coed Cerrig y Frân, Heather Terrace Path for
Llwybr Gwregys.
·
Place
English names alongside Welsh names, creating the impression that the Welsh
names are optional or secondary, e.g. Cwm Cneifion / Nameless Cwm, Bala Lake
/ Llyn Tegid. 'Snowdon/Yr Wyddfa (despite the fact that the Eryri National
Park Authority does not use the name Snowdon now.)'
This Council criticises these practices, as they contribute directly to
the loss of Welsh names, and therefore undermine our language, history and
national identity. When the Ordnance Survey adopts an English name, it appears
on websites, signs, publications, and media and as a result, the Welsh name is
pushed aside.
This happens even among young Welsh-speakers, who are often led to
believe that the English name is the "standard". This is how language
is weakened, not in one shot, but in a thousand small steps.
Welsh place names are part of our cultural DNA. They tell the story of
the land, the people, the legends, the work, the life. No one has the right to
delete or replace them.
Therefore, I want to propose to this Council today that we:
1. Write to the Ordnance Survey to call
on them to put an end to the current harmful policy, and to adopt a clear and
simple principle and to use only Welsh language landscape place names on maps
in Wales.
2. Call on the Welsh Government to
intervene formally and to ensure that the Ordnance Survey respects and protects
historic Welsh names.
This is not just a matter of maps.
It's a matter of identity, respect and cultural justice.
B)
NOTICE OF MOTION BY COUNCILLOR NIA
JEFFREYS
In accordance with the Notice of Motion received under Section 4.19 of the Constitution, Councillor Nia Jeffreys will propose as follows:-
The Council marks the murder of Member of
Parliament, Jo Cox on 16/06/2016, ten years ago this year. (MP David Amess was
also murdered on 15/10/2021).
In a world that is increasingly violent and
aggressive, it is sad that elected members, of all parties and at all levels of
government, are increasingly open to insults and abuse. Recent research shows
that 72% of Councillors have experienced some form of threat – whether verbal
or worse – in the last 12 months.
This Council believes that threatening or
violent behaviour has no place in politics. Cyngor Gwynedd Councillors are
committed to modelling the highest standards of respect and courtesy when
dealing with each other and with the public, and we want the same respect to be
shown towards us.
We call on members of this Council and members
of Community and Town Councils throughout Gwynedd to support the One Voice
Wales, NALC and SLCC "Civility and Respect Pledge" campaign.