A GWYNEDD county councillor is leading a drive for a more diverse intake of councillors in the 2022 council elections.

Councillor Nia Wyn Jeffreys, of the Porthmadog East ward, is also the cabinet member for corporate support.

She was the first woman to represent the ward as a councillor, and is one of only two women that sit on the council’s cabinet.

As far as the circumstances allow, elections for Gwynedd Council will be held in May of next year, but the councillor is calling for the improvement of diversity on Welsh councils.

An informal session for those considering standing in next year's elections, including advice from individuals from a range of backgrounds who have been councillors, is to also take place on Tuesday, October 12 at 6pm.

She said: “Despite the female population in Gwynedd being two per cent higher than that of the male population, our elected representatives are predominantly male.

“To be precise, there are 54 per cent more male councillors than there are female councillors.

“The proportion of middle-aged men, men in the 45-65 age range, that were elected increased by 18.18 per cent in the 2017 election.

“The number of female councillors fell by almost five per cent.

“And it’s not just gender disproportion; there’s a significant lack of representation from young people and people of ethnic minorities.

“For example, at present, there isn’t a single member of the council younger than 30.

“Elected representatives need to look like the communities they represent.

“That’s why I’m co-organising a meeting in my area for those considering standing in 2022’s council elections.

“The session’s focus will be on electing councillors that come from a variety of backgrounds, with an emphasis on addressing the gender disparity.

“We’ll also be busting a few myths and discussing hurdles that prevent some from standing.

“I invite people living in the Dwyfor and Meirionnydd areas to attend the event, whether they think they fit the mould of a ‘traditional councillor’ or not.

You can attend by RSVPing at: www.dwyformeirionnydd.cymru/dos_amdani_take_a_stand.”