A MEMBER of Gwynedd Council has said that councillors need to be proactive in improving diversity, and will host a meeting for anyone considering standing in next year’s elections.

Catrin Elen Wager represents the Menai ward in Bangor, and also serves as cabinet member for highways and municipal.

She has called on other councillors to take a proactive approach in encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to put them forward for election, including reiterating the 50:50 Parliament campaign’s tagline ‘Ask Her To Stand.’

According to the councillor: “Councils are at their best when they have a wealth of voices from a variety of backgrounds sitting on them.

“If councils, and governments, for that matter, claim to truly represent the people they are supposed to, they need to reflect society as a whole.

“We currently face unprecedented challenges; climate change, institutional sexism and racism, child poverty and hunger, a housing crisis, Brexit, opportunities being stripped away from our young people.

“In order to truly tackle these issues, councils need people who understand the issues, and who live these issues everyday.

“That’s why I’m co-organising and chairing a meeting in my area for those considering standing in next year's council elections.

“The session includes advice from individuals from a range of backgrounds who have been councillors.

“We also hope to bust a few myths, and discuss those hurdles that prevent some from standing.

“For example, as a parent, I will be discussing the support that is available in the form of childcare.

“Our current group of councillors come from a variety of backgrounds, including a clinical psychologist, a volunteer with refugees, a well-known actress, ambulance driver, environmentalist and psychiatric nurse.

“We want people to start thinking outside the box of the kind of person that stands for election.”

Anyone who lives within the Arfon constituency is welcome to attend the session on Monday, October 4 at 6.30pm, as long as they register by visiting: www.plaidcymruarfon.org/dos_amdani_take_a.