Cymdeithas yr Iaith have dismissed the consultation process over Carmarthenshire Council's budget as "at best irrelevant, and in fact damaging to the future of the Welsh language and Welsh-speaking communities in the county."
Cymdeithas area officer for Dyfed, Bethan Williams said:
"We are eagerly awaiting the report of the Task and Finish Group on the future of the language which is expected in the Spring. We confidently expect this report to propose radical changes to the Council's tokenistic approach to the language. The draft budget under consultation is at best irrelevant and in fact damaging to the future of the Welsh language and Welsh-speaking communities as it actually reduces its support for these.
"We are eagerly awaiting the report of the Task and Finish Group on the future of the language which is expected in the Spring. We confidently expect this report to propose radical changes to the Council's tokenistic approach to the language. The draft budget under consultation is at best irrelevant and in fact damaging to the future of the Welsh language and Welsh-speaking communities as it actually reduces its support for these.
"We expect the Committee's report to demand that Welsh becomes essential to all Council services and that the nurturing of Welsh-speaking communities should be a priority for every department. This would result in a totally different sort of budget."
Cymdeithas have actually set out a number of ways of reducing the Council budget by recommending that the Council works through the medium of Welsh, translating into English only what is necessary; and that it works with communities to use existing resources to enhance communities, so that people can and want to stay in the area and make a life for themselves.
Cymdeithas have actually set out a number of ways of reducing the Council budget by recommending that the Council works through the medium of Welsh, translating into English only what is necessary; and that it works with communities to use existing resources to enhance communities, so that people can and want to stay in the area and make a life for themselves.
The story in the press:
South Wales Guardian - Working in Welsh would reduce costs for Carmarthenshire County Council