File WA 5/1 - Poll Tax

The Council of Churches for Wales was founded in 1956 as an ecumenical organisation working in Wales. Erastus Jones was elected onto the Council in 1957 and remained a member on the Council for many years, serving as the General Secretary. The Council was very proactive in setting up conferences, day schools and lectures to discuss current sociological and industrial matters which affected Wales, including an Industry Committee which discussed (among other things) privitisation and the coal industry. The Welsh Ecumenical Movement dissolved in order to form the Friends of the Council and the Council became the main voice of the Ecumenical movement in Wales. The Council also took over the attempts to unite the various denominations and worded the eventual covenant between them.