Siân Gwenllian

Constituency: Arfon

Portfolio: Lead Designated Member

Siân Gwenllian represents the Arfon constituency in the Welsh Parliament. She was elected for the first time in 2016, and was re-elected in 2021 with a higher percentage of the vote than any other candidate throughout Wales.

She grew up in the village of y Felinheli, and received her secondary education in Bangor. She attended university at both Aberystwyth and Cardiff, and worked as a journalist with the BBC and HTV in Bangor. She also worked in the field of communications for Gwynedd Council and for Golwg.

In 2008 Siân was elected county councillor for y Felinheli. Between 2012 and 2014 she was Cabinet Member for Education, leading on children and young people, as well as being deputy leader of the Council. During her time on Gwynedd Council she was also the county's Small Business Champion.

Siân's political interest spans several decades. During her time at Aberystwyth University she was President of the Students' Union. She was also a Member of the Board of Governors of schools and a Member of the Community Council before becoming a County Councillor.

Siân had four children with her husband, Dafydd but in 1999, when their youngest son was only three years old, Dafydd died of cancer. Siân brought up the four children as a single parent.

Since 2021, Siân is Plaid Cymru's Lead Designated Member in the Co-operation Agreement with the Welsh Government. For Siân, securing free school meals for all primary school children in Wales has been a personal ambition of hers, and it is a success she is very proud of.