Comment DBCC-4473

Dear Commissioners,
We are writing on behalf of Sketty Mosque & Community Centre, Sketty Youth Club, and the Sketty Tea Lounge (Age 50+ Club) to strongly recommend the renaming of the proposed Swansea West and Gower constituency to Swansea Central and Gower or Swansea and Gower.
As the only Muslim organisation at the border of Gower, our community spans both Swansea West and Gower. We represent over 800 members of the Muslim community, of whom approximately one-third are based in Gower and two-thirds in Swansea West. These members rely on us for funding, consultation, casework, support, wellbeing counselling, wedding, funeral and advocacy services.
Key Reasons for Renaming the Constituency:
1. Better Representation for Our Community: By combining Swansea West and Gower into one constituency under a more cohesive name like Swansea Central and Gower or Swansea and Gower, it will allow us to work more closely with our community members. The current name doesn’t fully reflect the geographic spread of the population, nor the vital connection between these two areas.
2. Increased Access to Funding and Support: Many of our members—particularly those involved in the Sketty Tea Lounge, where 85% of participants are aged 50+—are based in Gower. By uniting these areas, we can streamline our efforts to secure necessary funding and support services for these individuals, who are in much need of targeted resources and assistance.
3. Ensuring Clarity and Reducing Confusion: The name Swansea Central and Gower or Swansea and Gower would better reflect the demographic reality of our community and prevent confusion. This clarity will aid in community outreach, funding applications, and service delivery, ensuring that both urban and rural populations are represented under a single, unifying constituency.
As organisations serving this diverse and dynamic population, we strongly believe that renaming the constituency is critical to improving advocacy and support services for our members, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable groups who rely heavily on our services.
We appreciate the Commission’s consideration of our recommendation and welcome any further engagement to discuss how this proposed change can best serve our community.
Sincerely,
Management & Trustees

On behalf of Sketty Mosque & Community Centre,
Sketty Youth Club, and Sketty Tea Lounge (Age 50+ Club)
Sketty Park Road, Sketty
Swansea – SA2 9AS

Respondent type

On behalf of an organisation (private or public)

Organisation name

Sketty Mosque

This comment refers to

The entire area under review.