PROTESTERS turned out in their numbers to oppose Wrexham Council's plans to submit a bid to apply for city status.

At a meeting on Tuesday, December 7, the council's executive board could give the green light to enter a competition marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

But, on Saturday December 4, about 100 protesters made their feelings of opposition to the plans known outside the Guildhall.

The Queen is due to confer city status on one or more towns in 2022 to mark her 70-year reign.

The north Wales county borough of Wrexham previously failed to win city status in 2000, 2002 and 2012.

Senior councillors believe it will help to boost the area's economy and are keen to proceed despite the town missing out on becoming a city on three previous occasions.

However, 61 per cent of respondents to a recent consultation said they did not feel that Wrexham deserved to be a city at all.

The protest, called 'Say No To City Status' and held on Saturday, was arranged by Plaid Cymru councillors.

Speaking at the rally, Cllr Carrie Harper said: "One of the worst things about this process is that there has been no genuine consultation with local people. What we have seen with this process of city status is a pattern we keep seeing repeated with decision making at this place (Wrexham Council) and we have to do something about it.

"We have a thriving community. The truth is, that has been dismantled due to successive administrations here making bad decisions over and over again and what makes me really sad is that the lessons from that have not been learnt and that is what this city status bid is showing us.

"Unfortunately Wrexham is never going to genuinely thrive until plans and strategies are based on our needs and aspirations and this council stands listening to us. We have had absolutely enough of Wrexham being changed for outside interest and outside agendas - that is not progress.

"What we need now is a new vision for Wrexham, something that builds on our heritage. We need a vision now that works for everybody here.

"Rest assured, even if they steamroller this through on Tuesday, this campaign will not stop. We will carry on until your voices are heard, every single one of you."

In his speech, Cllr Mark Jones added: "Good leadership always listens, but I'm afraid we don't have good leadership in this Guildhall at the moment.

"We have faith in our town, I want our town to be the capital of the north and we do not need to be a city to do that."

The ten members of the independent/Conservative coalition will make the final decision on whether to submit a bid on Tuesday.