News that Carmarthenshire Council's Labour Leader has voiced concerns about the lack of consideration of the Welsh language in the Welsh Government's Planning Bill has been welcomed by language campaigners. 

Cllr Madge made the point in a letter to Planning Minister Carl Sargeant, the letter also includes calls for the adoption of a number recommendations of the county's cross-party Welsh language commission, created by the county council as part of their response to the Census results. 

The Council Leader's letter calls on the Welsh Government to make the Welsh language a statutory consideration in the planning system, one of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg's key demands. The letter states: "The Planning Bill was presented to the Assembly on October 6th this year. We wish to note our disappointment that the Bill doesn't provide much as regards the Welsh language." He goes on to call on the Government to reconsider the process of predicting the number of houses needed in each area, giving consideration to the needs of each community. 

Jamie Bevan, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg commented: "We are very grateful the council leader, with the support of the whole council, is willing to demand changes to the Planning Bill so the Welsh language is central to it. With support one of the most important local leaders in the Labour party for our view that changes to the law are needed, we are now very hopeful that the Government will change its mind.

"The Welsh language belongs to every part of Wales; Welsh language communities and their prosperity are vital for the health of the language right across the country. The planning system nees to reflect Wales' needs, that's why we need the legislation to be based on local needs, with the Welsh language as a central statutory consideration. With political will and positive campaigning, I firmly believe the language can become the main community language in every single community in Wales over the next decades."

Richard Vale from Cymdeithas yr Iaith's Carmarthenshire's rhanbarth added: “Carmarthenshire council has been leading the way - from establishing a commission to look at the state of the language to challenging the government now. The Government also has the chance to show they take the crisis which faces the language seriously, it's not credible that they could ignore a call from a council leader from their own party."

"More than that, the council is telling the government to act for the benefit of communities, but what about the council themselves? The council can reject the Local Development Plan and start afresh - giving priority to the number of houses needed by each area."

Cymdeithas yr Iaith have already raised concerns that the Welsh language is not part of the Planning Bill and has called for First Minister Carwyn Jones' resignation from his language responsibilities because of the omission.