In response to an update to the Carmarthenshire Council's Language Strategy Action Plan Tynged yr Iaith Sir Gâr (fate of the language in Carmarthenshire) meeting asked when the Council will put a timetable in place in order to enable it to work in Welsh.
Sioned Elin, Chair of Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Carmarthenshire:
"Although the Council has put a Language Skills Strategy in place, and although councilors reported today that things are changing in the council there is no definite timetable. While discussing today it became clear that people across the county are frustrated, and see no long-term plan which is exactly what is needed. The Language Standards ask that the Council puts a strategy in place to increase the use of Welsh so it would be timely for the Council to come up with a timetable in order to have a clear date to aim to become an organisation that completes its work in Welsh. "
The meeting heard that the County Council will challenge some of the Welsh Language Standards the Welsh Language Commissioner expects it to comply with.
Manon Elin, Chair of Cymdeithas' language rights group, who also lives in the county said:
"We are disappointed that the Council intends to objects some Standards rather than asking for more time to comply with them. The Council should aim for the same level of Welsh language provision as Gwynedd Council but we accept that it would need more time to do so. We have criticised the Commissioner for placing a low level of Standards on Carmarthenshire, as they are significantly lower than that required of Gwynedd Council.
The Council should ask for more time to carry out additional standards rather than challenging the lowest expected of them. If the Council is serious about moving to work in Welsh, it should commit to reaching the same level of standards as Gwynedd. "