LOCAL government reorganisation should not threaten Gwynedd’s language policy, that’s Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg's main message today as they respond to the commission established to consider county councils’ future.
In their submission to the Public Services Commission, set up by the First Minister, which is looking at reducing the number of councils, the pressure group says more local authorities, such as Ynys Môn, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, should administrate internally in Welsh. Gwynedd is currently the only local authority whose internal work is done entirely through the medium of Welsh.
Amongst the other Cymdeithas recommendations, the groups says there’s a need to: strengthen and rejuvenate democracy especially at a very local level, such as community councils role in the planning process; correct faults in the planning system and its effect on the language by basing it on local need; the importance of local services to the vibrancy of communities and the Welsh language; strengthen workers’ rights to use Welsh; and the need to deal with major failings in Welsh language service provision.
In its comprehensive response to the Commission the group says: “Although we disagree with the nature of the debate about centralising services … we recognise the significant political pressure to merge local councils and other public bodies … We ask, if there is a decision to go down that track that there should be … consideration of the impact on the Welsh language as an internal administrative language in any change; no changes should undermine Gwynedd’s language policy.
“Public bodies, including Welsh Government, should follow Gwynedd Council’s example by moving to working internally in Welsh. As local government reorganisation is considered, it should be ensured that more local authorities administrate in Welsh. A working group under the Welsh Language Commissioner should be established to move the process forward.”
Robin Farrar Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, who was raised in Bethesda, commented: “It’s essential the Commission considers the impact of these changes on the language. A number of counties already force their Welsh-speaking staff to work through the medium of English. Despite a high percentage of Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Ynys Môn councils’ staff speak Welsh, many are forced to work in English. In the majority of public bodies there is a culture of doing everything in English and translating to Welsh occasionally. In order to realise everyone’s basic right to work and receive services in Welsh,
organisations must move to Welsh as the language of administration in more organisations.”
“Looking at the Census results, we see that Gwynedd council’s system of working internally in Welsh has had a positive effect, and other areas should follow the same model.”
“Also, there are serious problems with the planning process. Planning authorities don’t take any notice of the need to assess the language impact of planning applications. We have recommended strengthening community councils’ powers in the process, given that a lack of local people’s voice in the process is a serious problem. Points we emphasise in our Living Manifesto which sets out a path for a society that lives its life in Welsh.”
The Commission’s consultation closes at the end of the week, and the group is encouraging others to respond in order to emphasise that any changes should strengthen bodies’ internal use of the language.