Cymdeithas Elusennol Ynys Môn (Y Gymdeithas) has moved toward a more community-led governance model with changes to its constitution that end the automatic involvement of county councillors as members and trustees.
Cymdeithas Elusennol Ynys Môn is the successor charity to the Isle of Anglesey Charitable Trust, which was established to manage a capital fund negotiated with Shell (UK) after the company closed its oil terminal in Amlwch and associated tank farm at Rhosgoch.
Until 2022, all elected members of Isle of Anglesey County Council were automatic members and trustees of the charity.
Following a unanimous vote, that arrangement was reformed with councillors retaining their membership and reducing their representation on the board to six of the 12 trustee roles. The remaining six trustees were recruited through public recruitment.
The most recent change, approved by the charity’s members at its Annual General Meeting, removes all automatic appointments linked to council roles. From now on, county councillors will no longer become members of the charity by virtue of elected office alone. Like everyone else, they will need to apply through an open process.
The charity expressed deep gratitude to the local authority and to generations of county councillors who helped guide Y Gymdeithas’ development. It said their leadership and commitment were instrumental in establishing a charity that plays a vital role in supporting community-led development and well-being, working on behalf of the people of Ynys Môn and safeguarding the now £24 million fund to ensure it is used for public benefit.
“This change is the next step in a long journey toward greater transparency and representation,” said Y Gymdethas’ Chief Executive, Celyn Edwards.
“We are especially grateful to the county councillors who helped lead that journey – stewarding the charity while supporting its evolution into something broader and more inclusive.
“The trust placed in Y Gymdeithas by members has been central to the charity’s development. This transition reflects a shared understanding that as communities evolve, so too must the way we govern and serve them – and a shared responsibility to uphold the charity’s independence in line with Charity Commission expectations and standards of good governance”
Chair of Cymdeithas Elusennol Ynys Mon Dr Edward Thomas Jones said:
“This constitutional change marks a necessary and strategic step forward for Y Gymdeithas. It strengthens the charity’s independence, reinforces our accountability and legal compliance, and opens the door to broader community involvement in the way the charity is governed.
“County councillors have played a vital role in Y Gymdeithas’ development, and we acknowledge that legacy with gratitude and respect. This charity belongs to the people of Ynys Môn – and we are inviting people from across the island to help shape its future and ensure it remains firmly rooted in the communities it serves. Now is the right time for a community-led governance model that ensures the charity evolves to be fully led and shaped by the people of Ynys Môn.”
The change aligns with Charity Commission guidance on independence and political neutrality, and enables Y Gymdeithas to recruit trustees and members openly from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and communities.
