A PETITION has been signed by 950 people who want a Powys County Councillor disciplined for negative comments she made about the Welsh language.

Cllr Amanda Jenner (Trewern – Conservative) made the comments in an article published on the Conservative.Home website.

The offending paragraph in the article which was on “policy devolution” said:

“I don’t want to see the Welsh language forced upon every nook and cranny of Wales, including upon those communities whose traditions and cultures may not have the Welsh Language embedded in them.”

She was criticised at a full council meeting on July 30 by Plaid Cymru’s Cllr Elwyn Vaughan and responded by saying that she was not referring to “Powys in my article.”

The petition which was set up by Elfed Jones, said: “We are calling on Powys County Council to discipline the councillor that made derogatory comments towards the Welsh language, and to provide every councillor with language awareness training.

“A Powys county councillor insulted the Welsh language and described efforts to teach the Welsh language as “Forcing the Language.”

“The Welsh Language is relevant to everyone in Wales, especially in Powys.

“For centuries the actions of people like this councillor has done nothing but split communities and attack the language. Enough is enough.

A spokesman for Powys County Council said that complaints about councillors are considered by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales.

Cllr Jenner who stood in December’s general election in Ceredigion and is tipped to stand there again in next year’s Welsh Parliament election believed the paragraph has been taken out of context.

Cllr Jenner said: “The words are taken from article I wrote regarding policy I would like to see in the future in Wales.

“As explained in my article,  I would like to see communities and local areas empowered and to lead on decision making for more things impacting their area, including growing the Welsh language.

“It is clear that I am talking about policy in the future. ”

She added that it was disappointing to see a Plaid Cymru councillor “seeking to create division.”

Cllr Jenner was asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service to clarify the comments she made, and answer, if not Powys where has the Welsh language had been forced on people?

She replied that her comments were “not about the past.”