YES Cymru has announced it will be holding an extraordinary general meeting to re-write its constitution.

On top of the constitutional changes there will be an election for a new central committee to run the organistation.

As part of the announcement all remaining central committee members have agreed to step down so fresh elections can be held.

Last month Sion Jobbins, who had been chair of Yes Cymru, resigned for health reasons. 

Two other members of the central committee and the group's secretary have also relinquished their postitions since they were elected at May's annual general meeting of the pro-independence campaign.

In an email to members this afternoon, the central committee wrote: "We recognise that the organisation of today - which has 18,000 members, many local groups, and salaried members of staff - is unrecognisable compared with the movement of the early years."

This year's AGM was held online due to pandemic restrictions.

But some members raised concerns at the low turnout for the meeting.

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The email to members went on to say: "Over these past two months since the annual general meeting where we were elected, we as the central committee have all given a lot of our time and energy into the administration of the movement, at great expense to our personal lives and our mental wellbeing.

"In this time, it has become increasingly difficult to function effectively as a committee, owing to the resignations of committee members, and much unrest around the number of people who were able to vote in the above election.

"We want to give the entire membership the right to have their say, therefore this is what we will be doing.

"Between now and the EGM we will seek nominations for the 12 seats, and then open the voting period following the meeting. The online election will remain open for a week and will be available to all who are members when the election is called, regardless of whether they attended the EGM.

"For the small number of members who we are unable to contact via email, we will be sending postal ballots. We will also be offering a preferential voting method for electing members, rather than first-past-the-post - all of which will be handled by an external election voting service."

It added: "Some members voiced disappointment that they were unable to vote in the AGM, despite the election being similar to the previous AGM in Merthyr Tydfil. In fact 430 members voted in our online election this year, compared to 120 members who voted physically at that Merthyr Tydfil meeting.

"This year's AGM was held online for the first time due to Covid restrictions. Voting took place within the event itself because the method of electing committee members was dependent on the outcome of one of the motions up for discussion at the meeting. To avoid a similar situation for this EGM, the vote itself will take place after the event."

  • This article originally appeared on our sister site The National.