Sam Rowlands MS for North Wales has urged the Welsh Government to do more to protect those wanting to represent their communities.
Mr Rowlands, Shadow Minister for Local Government was commenting after Rebecca Evans, Finance and Local Government Minister said the Electoral Reform Society said there were 74 uncontested seats across Wales.
He said:
I am really concerned at seeing that number of uncontested seats, with 28 of those being in Gwynedd and 19 in Pembrokeshire. It is really disappointing.
I am sure you saw the BBC news article earlier this month that did highlight, regretfully, that online abuse has forced many councillors to quit or no longer want to stand, along with potential candidates who simply don't want to be on the receiving end of that bullying. Our councillors and candidates should not be receiving this horrid personal abuse.
Mr Rowlands called for more to be done to protect those wanting to represent their communities and thanked all the people standing in the elections next week, wishing them all the best.
The Minister agreed and said it was important people had the opportunity to make that contribution to their communities and were able to do so in a way that did not subject them or find them subjected to abuse.
Mr Rowlands added:
It was good to receive support from the Minister on this. Some of the abuse people in public life receive is absolutely appalling and we really need to do everything we can to protect those who put themselves forward.
I think it is so important to encourage more people to stand in local elections and that is why we need to address the issue.
Sam Rowlands AS yn galw am i fwy gael ei wneud i ddiogelu ymgeiswyr mewn etholiadau lleol rhag cael eu cam-drin
Mae Sam Rowlands, yr AS dros Ogledd Cymru, wedi erfyn ar Lywodraeth Cymru i wneud mwy i ddiogelu’r rheini sydd am gynrychioli eu cymunedau.
Roedd Mr Rowlands, Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol yr Wrthblaid, yn rhoi ei sylwadau ar ôl i Rebecca Evans, y Gweinidog Cyllid a Llywodraeth Leol ddweud bod y Gymdeithas Diwygio Etholiadol wedi dweud bod 74 o seddi yn rhai gydag un ymgeisydd yn unig.
Meddai:
Rwy’n bryderus iawn o weld cymaint â hynny o seddi un ymgeisydd yn unig, gyda 28 o’r rhain yng Ngwynedd ac 19 yn Sir Benfro. Mae’n siomedig dros ben.
Mae’n siŵr eich bod wedi gweld erthygl newyddion y BBC yn gynharach y mis hwn a dynnodd sylw, yn anffodus, at y ffaith fod cam-drin ar-lein wedi gorfodi llawer o gynghorwyr i ymddiswyddo neu wedi golygu nad oedden nhw am sefyll mwyach, ynghyd ag am ddarpar ymgeiswyr nad ydyn nhw am fod yn destun bwlio. Ni ddylai ein cynghorwyr ac ymgeiswyr ddioddef cam-drin personol afiach fel hyn.
Galwodd Mr Rowlands am i fwy gael ei wneud i ddiogelu’r rheini sydd am gynrychioli eu cymunedau a diolchodd i bawb sy’n sefyll yn etholiadau'r wythnos nesaf, gan ddymuno’r gorau iddynt.
Cytunodd y Gweinidog a dywedodd ei bod yn bwysig bod pobl yn cael y cyfle i gyfrannu at eu cymunedau ac yn gallu gwneud hynny mewn ffordd nad oedd yn eu gwneud yn agored i gael eu cam-drin.
Ychwanegodd Mr Rowlands:
Roedd hi’n braf derbyn cefnogaeth y Gweinidog gyda hyn. Mae rhywfaint o’r cam-drin y mae pobl mewn bywyd cyhoeddus yn ei dderbyn yn gwbl warthus ac mae gwir angen i ni wneud popeth o fewn ein gallu i ddiogelu’r rhai sy’n cynnig eu henwau fel ymgeiswyr.
Mae mor bwysig annog mwy o bobl i sefyll mewn etholiadau lleol a dyna pam mae angen i ni fynd i’r afael â hyn.
