A FORMER Aberystwyth mayor who co-founded YesCymru, the Welsh independence movement, has stepped down from his role as chair for personal reasons.

Sion Jobbins, who lives in the town, announced his decision to step down last week, saying the organisation - which has gone from 750 members when it was formed to more than 18,000 - has grown quickly, and someone with the “organisational skills” to move the movement forward is now needed.

Mr Jobbins, who served as Aberystwyth mayor in 1999, was one of the three founders of YesCymru and took over as chair in 2018.

The group has recently been dogged by disagreements over the direction of the movement, but Mr Jobbins insisted he was not stepping down “to make a political point or under pressure from others.”

“I am stepping down to make sure YesCymru has the chair it needs for this moment,” he said.

“I’m stepping down purely for personal reasons – because of my health.

“A role like this is life changing.

“I’ve been chair for over two and a half years, and I’ve recently been unable to cope with the pressures of the role, which is voluntary and extra to my paid work.

“YesCymru has grown from a core group to a mass movement.

With that comes many different views and ideas of why an independent Wales is needed and what it may look like.

“Being Chair of YesCymru has been the biggest privilege and thrill of my life.

“I will continue to be a very proud member of YesCymru and support the new Chair, whoever they may be, fully.

“However, for the time being, I need to put the wellbeing of myself and family first.

Mr Jobbins announced that Vice Chair Sarah Rees will be taking over his duties as chair of YesCymru for an interim period.