Cllr Gareth Roberts (Image: Plaid Cymru)
Last Updated: 2 minutes ago
A long-serving Gwynedd councillor has been suspended by Plaid Cymru after claiming that immigration was undermining the Welsh language in his home city of Bangor.
Cllr Gareth Roberts, who has represented Bangor’s Dewi ward for 11 years, made the remarks during a planning committee meeting and now faces a formal investigation by the party following complaints about his comments, according to BBC Wales.
What was said
The planning committee had been considering an application for 25 new homes in Chwilog on the Llŷn Peninsula. Members voted to reject the proposal against officers’ advice, with local concerns raised about the potential impact on community cohesion and the Welsh language.
During the discussion, Cllr Roberts spoke about what he described as a significant shift in Bangor’s linguistic character over recent years.
He said: “Bangor is no longer a Welsh speaking area – it was when I was child, it is no longer. I see Bangor’s Welsh language population diminishing on a daily basis, in every aspect of my life in Bangor – I have lived in Bangor all my life.
“Certainly, within the last five years, I’ve seen hundreds if not 1,000 more people coming here to live, migrants.”
He also pointed to the strain on local schools, referencing his former primary school.
He added: “I was told there are 42 different languages being spoken there – 42! They are really struggling to cope with that number of new languages and to implement Welsh as a language option.”
Cllr Roberts argued that people currently living in houses of multiple occupation in Bangor would eventually seek their own properties, and with insufficient housing stock in the city, demand would spread to surrounding communities such as Chwilog.
He said: “That’s going to diminish the Welsh language considerably. So, I can speak from my experience and tell you I’m very concerned about the impacts of the Welsh language in Chwilog, and in the whole of this area.”
Cllr Roberts responds
Speaking to BBC Wales, Cllr Roberts insisted he was supportive of migration and said Bangor had always been a multicultural city. He said his comments were intended to draw attention to the consequences of housing shortages rather than to criticise those who had moved to the area.
“I’m concerned for the people that come to this country who really want to integrate,” he said. “We’re failing them if they don’t get the chance to learn and speak Welsh properly and help them get good jobs.
“It’s so hard for the schools, but we have to have these discussions.”
Party response
Following the complaints, Cllr Roberts resigned from Plaid Cymru’s Gwynedd group and is now listed on Cyngor Gwynedd’s website as an “Individual Member” – a councillor not affiliated with any political group.
Plaid Cymru confirmed that his party membership had been temporarily suspended after a formal complaint was received. A spokesperson said: “This is a neutral action until an investigation is carried out.”
The party supports the Welsh Government’s Nation of Sanctuary policy, which was introduced in 2019 following a three-month consultation that found substantial backing for the initiative. The policy does not affect immigration rules or the number of asylum seekers placed in Wales, but is designed to help refugees access healthcare and education services and to promote integration through learning English and Welsh.
