Local Authorities in Wales have been urged to do more to promote and support the use of the Welsh language within their communities.
The Minister with responsibility for the Welsh language, Leighton Andrews, has written to Local Authority Leaders urging them to work with the Welsh Government and their communities to ensure the Welsh language continues to thrive.
Mr Andrews said: “All of us who have an interest in the future of the Welsh language have a role to play in securing its future. For Local Authorities this role is particularly important. I urge Local Authorities to continue to support the provision of Welsh language services and promoting the language more widely.
“I am keen to see the investment made by Local Authorities in Welsh-medium and bilingual education which is helping to create the Welsh-speakers of the future supplemented with investment in Welsh language services and leisure activities for those same children and young people, so that their experience of using Welsh is also associated with enjoyment outside the school environment.
“I also want to see more face to face services being made available in Welsh as part of a general improvement in Welsh language services, a commitment that the need to provide Welsh language services is firmly in mind when funding decisions are taken, and an increase in the opportunities for people – especially those young people leaving Welsh-medium education – to use their Welsh language skills in the workplaces across Wales, including the public sector.
“While I understand that we are currently working in challenging times with strained budgets, the task of facilitating and promoting the use of Welsh cannot be put to one side.”
The letter follows the latest Census results which revealed the fragile nature of the Welsh language in communities across Wales and emphasised the fact that the future of the language lies with the children and young people of Wales.
It also follows the official Welsh seal of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 by the First Minister earlier this month. The Act requires local authorities to produce Welsh in Education Strategic Plans which outline local authorities’ aspirations and intentions for Welsh-medium and bilingual education. The Act will also make it compulsory for local authorities, under certain circumstances, to measure the demand for Welsh-medium education.
Leighton should really start talking to some of his own cuncillors first.
A drive into Caerffili found most of the builders' signs in English only. That didn't happen under Plaid. We are getting too much like RCT, where Welsh seems to be banned by the local Labour-controlled council.