In her closing speech at a Public Forum in Carmarthen today (Saturday 28th of January), the regional Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith appealed to Carmarthenshire County Council to use next year's revision of the Local Development Plan (LDP) to ensure that young people have the chance to make their future in our local Welsh-speaking communities.

People from local communities all over the county came to the Forum to explain to leading councillors and officers how the housing market, planning policies and the lack of services were undermining Welsh-speaking communities.

Ms Elin closed the meeting by thanking councillors and officers for attending, but made the plea to them to take on board all these experiences when reviewing the LDP next year. She explained "The Council must think holistically in giving young people a chance to make their futures in our Welsh-speaking communities. There has been a lack of joined-up thinking. In the village where I live, the Council has in the past threatened to close the local school but another Council department is giving planning permission for more houses. The Council must work in partnership with local people to plan a future for the communities. There is limited value in Welsh-medium education and official status for the language if mainstream policies undermine our Welsh-speaking communities."

More pictures - cymdeithas.cymru/lluniau/tynged-yr-iaith-sir-g-r-cynllunio-dyfodol-ein-cymunedau