Date: 29/06/2021   |   Category - News

This Pride month, WLGA is encouraging more people from the LGBTQ+ to stand as candidates at the 2022 local elections.

Local government needs to represent the communities it serves, and councils are working to achieve a more diverse representation of candidates standing for election as councillors next year.

The WLGA has previously committed to an ambitious Diversity in Democracy programme to ensure council chambers are more representative of their communities following local elections in May 2022, including encouraging all political parties, through the WLGA Political Groups, to commit to proactive and coordinated activities to improve diversity in local government democracy, and encouraging councils to make Diversity Declarations, to provide a clear, public commitment to improving diversity and demonstrate an open and welcoming culture to all.

Councillor Jane Mudd (Newport), WLGA Spokesperson for Equalities said:

“Pride month serves not only to celebrate the progress that society has made towards LGBTQ+ equality, but also to remind us of the work still to achieve. For councils, that means working towards making sure that council chambers look much more like the people they represent. This is why, this Pride month, we are encouraging people from the LGBTQ+ community to consider standing as candidates in the next local elections in 2022. We know that the best decisions happen when as wide a range of voices as possible is represented.

“If you have previously participated in local activism and would like to make a difference in your community, or even if you have never considered the idea before, why not stand for what you care about and become a local councillor. Please visit www.beacouncillor.wales to learn more.”