Agenda item

To submit a report by the Director of Function (Council Business)/Monitoring Officer.

The Welsh Language Annual Report was presented for the Committee’s consideration and for comment prior to its submission for delegated approval by the Portfolio Member for publication.

The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language said that in accordance with the Welsh Language Standards Regulations 2015 the Council must prepare an Annual Report regarding the compliance with the standards. He referred that there has been an increase in staff receiving Welsh language training over the year and the National Centre for Learning Welsh has supported the Council.

The following were points of discussion by the Committee:-

·         Reference was made that it is encouraging that there has been a 200% increase in the number of Officers and Elected Members receiving training to improve their Welsh language skills.  Piloting a new language awareness session for learners and confident Welsh speakers was afforded by Iaith Cyf., recently and comments were made that feedback from these sessions would be advantageous and whether there will be further sessions provided in due course.  It was further noted that Elected Members should be invited to the sessions to celebrate the efforts of Welsh learners. The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that the feedback from the Training Session was positive and those who attended were appreciative of the opportunity to attend the session.  She noted that the Training Team within the Human Resources Department are considering holding a similar session in the future. The sessions to celebrate the efforts of learners affords opportunities to support leaners to practise and speak the Welsh language is considered advantageous within a more natural environment rather than a formal setting.  The Tutors set a task for the learners to arrange such activities and to practise their Welsh language skills.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager further said that there is an opportunity for Elected Members and Staff to attend general sessions as regards to improving language skills within the Council. 

·         Questions were raised as to what extent does the Council miss an opportunity by focusing recruitment of staff who already speak the Welsh language, rather than considering non-Welsh speakers and learners who could benefit from the Council’s language training. Further questions were raised as to what the financial costs of re-advertising roles for a third time due to unmet Welsh language requirements.  The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language responded that he considered that the Council is affording training opportunities to staff who do not feel confident in their Welsh language skills.  The 5 criteria that measures the language requirements for applying for posts within the Council is dependent on the language skills and responsibilities requirements of the post together with addressing the requirements to respond to enquiries from the public within their preferred language of choice.  The Head of Profession (Human Resources) & Transformation said that there a no additional costs in re-advertising posts within the Authority as the posts are advertised on the Council’s website. 

·         Questions were raised as to how the Council evaluate the language requirements for advertised posts and whether the GCSE qualification in the Welsh language is measured.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that the linguistic level is assessed for the role due to there required duties.  The recruitment policy sets out clear expectations of the role and the application form requires the applicant to describe their Welsh language ability. The responsibility for assessment of the capability is undertaken during the interview process. 

·         Reference was made to the ‘recruitment data’ shown within the report of details of new posts and vacancies advertised during the year according to their Welsh language skills requirements. Questions were raised whether the ‘recruitment data’ is a self-assessment of linguistic capabilities as there is no solid evidence of the requirement for a GCSE qualification for posts within the Council.  The Chief Executive responded that applicants for posts within the Council are required to present their GCSE certificates prior to interview which shows that they are qualified for the specific post.  The interview process ascertains the applicants’ abilities in both Welsh and English language and other qualifications required to each individual role within the Council.  Further reference was made that the ‘recruitment data’ shows that no posts were advertised that did not require Welsh language skills.  Questions were raised as to whether posts could be advertised with mandatory requirements to be able to speak Welsh to increase the number of Welsh speakers on the Island.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that Managers are able to set the required capability standards of speaking Welsh during the process of advertising posts within the Council.  She further said that the Council offers training and support to staff at every level of capability in the Welsh language, however, it is dependent on the role of the posts.

·         Questions were raised as to what extent does the Welsh language policy apply to internal use amongst staff.  The Chief Executive responded that the personal commitment is the most important perspective to learn the Welsh language.  A platform has been established within the Council that learning the Welsh language is a positive perspective and this has been shown with more staff wishing to participate in training courses afforded by the Council.  Further questions were raised as to the expectations for staff to respond to emails and correspondence in the preferred language of the individual.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager said that the Welsh Language Policy refers to the internal administration of the Council which is relevant to all staff and internal correspondence should be responded to in the preferred language of the individual. 

·         Questions were raised as to what extent can the report include a more detailed year-on-year comparison of the Welsh language skills levels together with comparisons within each department.  The Chief Executive said that efforts are undertaken to include additional year-on-year comparisons of staff’s Welsh language skills as the Council wishes to be a data informed Authority and to put dashboards in place to monitor tendencies and trends. 

·         Reference was made that the Annual Report refers that 3% of employees of the Council have no Welsh language abilities.  Questions were raised as to whether these individuals are new employees who have not had an opportunity to be able to attend the Welsh language courses or whether they choose not to undertaken Welsh language courses afforded by the Council.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that the % of staff who have noted that they have no Welsh language skills is a self-assessment and a high proportion of staff have the ability to have basic Welsh language capabilities.  She further said that work undertaken with the Training Team within the Council enables a better overview of the Welsh language abilities and progress of individuals which will enable a more comprehensive analysis within the Annual Report in future.

·         Questions were raised as to whether sharing good practise undertaken by the Council in promoting the Welsh language with other outside bodies and third sector organisations. The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that a Project Group has been established by the Welsh Language Commissioner which recognises organisations that are able to support, share and promote the Welsh language perspective to other organisations. 

·         Questions were raised as to why the facility for translating documentation from Elected Members is not available.  The Chief Executive responded that the capacity of the Translation Team within the Democratic Services would not be able to receive additional workload as there is a high demand for written and simultaneous translation within the Council.  He noted that progress within the technical capability regarding AI could be a tool in the future.  Members of the Committee wished to thank the Translation Team for their high standards of simultaneous translation at meetings and written documentation to Committees of the Council. 

·         Questions were raised as to what extent does the Welsh language requirements during the recruitment process affect the standard of applicants for the role.  The Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language responded that he considered that the Authority is successful in attracting individuals to apply for posts within the Council due to the ability to be working in a Welsh speaking environment and affordability of training opportunities to improve their Welsh language skills.

·         Reference was made to the report as regards to consideration given to the Welsh language within the Procurement Strategic Plan.  Questions were raised whether there is a weakness in the priority of the Welsh language within the Procurement Strategy.  The Policy and Welsh Language Manager responded that there is an expectation to support local providers better placed to understand the local linguistic context and provide bilingual services.

It was RESOLVED:-

·         To accept the Welsh Language Annual Report 2024 to 2025;

·         To note its contents and to forward the scrutiny committee’s comments to the Portfolio Member as part of its submission for delegated approval and subsequent publication.