GWYNEDD Council’s leader has refused to apologise for speaking Welsh in his own home town.

Council leader Dyfrig Siencyn, who also represents Dolgellau as a county councillor, made the comments after an en event held in the town was criticised for not having translation facilities.

Cllr Ray Stubbs, who does not speak Welsh, attended the launch of a new leaflet and postcards depicting and celebrating Dolgellau’s rich history last month.

The bilingual leaflet provides details of two walking routes which will lead walkers around the most notable buildings, as well as the number of calories burned on each route.

At the ceremony, a presentation was given by Cllr Siencyn but there were no translation facilities available for non-Welsh speakers.

“Unfortunately, the lack of translation did not help a number of spectators,” said Cllr Stubbs at a town council meeting last week.

He added that he had received a “couple of complaints about the matter”.

Defending himself, Cllr Siencyn said: “I did the presentation, I did it in Welsh.

“I will never apologise for speaking Welsh ever. Especially not in public whilst in Dolgellau.

“I very rarely speak any English at all in public.”

All council meetings in Dolgellau have a translator present, as approximately half of the town councillors do not speak Welsh fluently.

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