Gwynedd
From Includipedia, the inclusionist encyclopedia
| Image:WalesGwynedd.png | |
| Geography | |
| Area - Total - % Water | Ranked 2nd 2,548 km² ? % |
|---|---|
| Admin HQ | Caernarfon |
| ISO 3166-2 | GB-GWN |
| ONS code | 00NC |
| Demographics | |
| Population: - (Template:Welsh council population) - Density | [[List of Welsh principal areas by population|Ranked Template:Welsh council population]] Template:Welsh council population [[List of Welsh principal areas by population density|Ranked Template:Welsh council population]] Template:Welsh council population / km² |
| Ethnicity | 99.0% White |
| Welsh language - Any skills | Ranked 1st 76.1% |
| Politics | |
The Arms of Gwynedd County Council 1974 - 1996 http://www.gwynedd.gov.uk/ | |
| Control | Template:Welsh council control |
| MPs | |
| AMs |
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| MEPs | |
Gwynedd (IPA: ['ɡwɪ.nɛð]) is a principal area in north-west Wales, named after the old Kingdom of Gwynedd. Although one of the biggest in terms of geographical area, it is also one of the most sparsely populated. A large proportion of the population is Welsh-speaking. It has become a centre of nationalism once again, with Plaid Cymru building a stronghold in the area.
Gwynedd is the home of the University of Wales, Bangor and includes the scenic Llŷn Peninsula, and most of the Snowdonia National Park.
The name "Gwynedd" is also used for a preserved county, covering Anglesey as well as the principal area.
Contents |
[edit] History
The modern Gwynedd was one of eight Welsh counties originally created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the entirety of the former administrative counties of Anglesey, and Caernarvonshire along with all of Merionethshire apart from Edeyrnion Rural District (which went to Clwyd), and also a few parishes in Denbighshire: Llanrwst, Llansanffraid Glan Conwy, Eglwysbach, Llanddoget, Llanrwst Rural and Tir Ifan.
The county was divided into five districts: Aberconwy, Arfon, Dwyfor, Meirionnydd and Anglesey.
The Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 abolished the 1974 county (and the five districts) on 1 April 1996, and its area was divided: Anglesey became an independent unitary authority, and Aberconwy (which included the former Denbighshire parts) passed to the new Conwy county borough. The remainder of the county was constituted a principal area with the name Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire, reflecting that it covered most of the areas of the two historic counties. As one of its first actions, the Council renamed itself Gwynedd on 2 April 1996. Modern Gwynedd is governed by Gwynedd Council. As a unitary authority the modern entity no longer has any districts, but Arfon, Dwyfor and Meirionnydd remain in use as areas for area committees.
The pre-1996 boundaries were retained as a preserved county for a few purposes such as the Lieutenancy - in 2003 the boundary with Clwyd was adjusted to match the modern local government boundary, so that the preserved county now covers the modern Gwynedd along with Anglesey, and that the borough of Conwy is entirely within Clwyd.
A Gwynedd Constabulary was formed in 1950 from the merger of the Anglesey, Caernarfonshire and Merionethshire forces. A further amalgamation took place in the 1960s when Gwynedd Constabulary was merged with the Flintshire and Denbighshire county forces, retaining the name "Gwynedd". In one proposal for local government reform in Wales, "Gwynedd" had been proposed as a name for a local auhority covering all of north Wales, but the scheme as enacted divided this area between Gwynedd and Clwyd. To prevent confusion, the Gwynedd Constabulary was therefore renamed the North Wales Police.
The Snowdonia National Park was formed in 1951. After the 1974 local authority reorganisation, the park fell entirely within the boundaries of the County of Gwynedd, and was run a as a department of Gwynedd County Council. After the 1996 local government reorganisation, part of the park fell under Conwy Borough County Council, and the park's administration separated from the Gwynedd council. Gwynedd Council does still appoint 9 of the 18 members of the Snowdonia National Park Authority (Conwy council appoints 3, and the National Assembly for Wales appoints the remaining 6).
[edit] Schools
Top performing secondary schools in Gwynedd, 5 GCSEs, grade A-C, according to the latest inspection reports from Estyn (All schools bilingual, except where stated)
75% Ysgol Y Gader, Dolgellau
74% Ysgol Tryfan, Bangor
70% Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn, Tywyn (non-bilingual)
68% Ysgol Botwnnog, Botwnnog
68% Ysgol Brynrefail, Llanrug
67% Ysgol Glan y Môr, Pwllheli
60% Ysgol Eifionydd, Porthmadog
60% Ysgol Friars, Bangor
54% Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle, Penygroes
54% Ysgol y Berwyn, Bala
53% Ysgol y Moelwyn, Blaenau Ffestiniog
51% Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen, Caernarfon
50% Ysgol Ardudwy, Harlech
46% Ysgol Dyffryn Ogwen, Bethesda
[edit] 2001 census and housing
According to the 2001 census the number of Welsh speakers in Wales increased for the first time in over 100 years, with 20.5% in a population of over 2.9 million claiming fluency in Welsh, or one if five. [1] Additionally, 28% of the population of Wales claimed to understand Welsh. [2] The census revealed that the increase was most significant in urban areas[3] However, the number of Welsh speakers declined in Gwynedd from 72.1% in 1991 to 68.7%.[4]
The decline in Welsh speakers in Gwynedd may be attributable to non Welsh speaking residents moving to North Wales, driving up property rates above what local Welsh speakers may afford, according to former Gwynedd county councilor Seimon Glyn of Plaid Cymru, whose controversal comments in 2001 focused attention on the issue.[5] As many as a third, or one in three, of all properties in Gwynedd are bought by parties from out of the country[6]. The issue of locals being priced out of the local housing market is common to many rural communities throughout Britain, but in Wales the added deminsion of language further complicates the issue, as many new residents do not learn the Welsh language.[7]
A Plaid Cymru taskforce headed by Dafydd Wigley recommended land should be allocated for affordable local housing, and called for grants for locals to buy houses, and recommended council tax on holiday homes should double[8].
[edit] Notable people from Gwynedd
Owain fon Williams footballer, currently playing for Crewe Alexandra.
[edit] References
- ^ Census shows Welsh language rise Friday, 14 February, 2003 extracted 12-04-07
- ^ Census shows Welsh language rise Friday, 14 February, 2003 extracted 12-04-07
- ^ Census shows Welsh language rise Friday, 14 February, 2003 extracted 12-04-07
- ^ Census shows Welsh language rise Friday, 14 February, 2003 extracted 12-04-07
- ^ Plaid bids to defuse 'racism' row, BBC Wales, 21 February, 2001
- ^ Apology over 'insults' to English, BBC Wales, 3 September, 2001
- ^ UK: Wales Plaid calls for second home controls, BBC Wales, November 17, 1999
- ^ Plaid plan 'protects' rural areas, BBC Wales, 19 June, 2001
[edit] See also
- Garth Celyn
- List of places in Gwynedd for all villages, towns and cities in Gwynedd.
- Snowdonia National Park
- Llŷn Peninsula
- Bodysgallen Hall
[edit] External links
| Image:Flag of Wales 2.svg Preserved counties of Wales |
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