Agenda item

To submit a report by the Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) in relation to the above.

Submitted – the report of the Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) in relation to the above.

The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) gave a background to the Welsh Language Measure (Wales) 2011 with regard to the Welsh Language Strategy.  It was reported that the Strategy outlines the proposed approach towards promoting the Welsh Language and facilitating its wider use within the area and targets the increase/maintaining the number of Welsh speakers by the end of the 2021.  The Anglesey Strategic Language Forum membership of which was included within the report, has been established to identify priorities and formulating the Welsh Language Strategy.  It is intended to create an action plan for the second year before the end of the Strategy’s first year.  It will be the responsibility of the Strategic Language Forum to monitor progress against set targets.  The Assistant Chief Executive stated that the 2011 Census showed a decrease in Welsh speakers on the Island and the Council’s vision is to increase the number of Welsh speakers to at least 60.1% by the 2021 Census. 

It was further stated that there is a proposal to offer ‘welcome packs’ to newcomers to the Island explaining the language and culture of Wales.  The Chair wished it to be recorded the success of the Welsh Football Team during the European Championship recently and how Wales has been given an enhance profile of the culture and its language.

The Policy and Strategy Manager reported that the Anglesey Language Forum has agreed to focus on three themes :-

·           Children, Young People and the Family

Aim :

• An increase in the number of families where Welsh is used as the main language with children, with an increase in the opportunities and support for it to be used socially;
• Ensuring that all children have the right to be fully bilingual by the age of 16;
• Increasing the capacity and the use of Welsh as a medium of communication and learning among children and young people in education and in social activities.

·           The Workforce, Welsh Language Services, the Infrastructure

Aim :

• To promote and increase the availability of Welsh language services, increase opportunities/expectations to use Welsh in the workplace and work together to identify opportunities to mainstream the language into developments and activities.

The Officer reported that whilst the Authority aims to increase the development of the Welsh language within the workplace it is hoped to increase the profile of the Welsh language within the Town/Community Councils on Anglesey. The Strategic Plan has identified that a Welsh Language Champion is needed within the Town/Community Councils. 

·           The Community

Aim :

• Promoting and marketing the value and importance of Welsh;
• Promote and identify opportunities to strengthen the Welsh language within the communities and identify gaps in provision.

The Officer reported that it is important that the Strategic Plan conforms with policies within the Local Development Plan to have an adequate number of housing for local residents so as to increase the linguistic prosperity of the Island.  It was also noted that empty homes and affordable housing need to be made available.

The Committee considered the report and raised the following main issues :-

·           The need to strengthen opportunities within the local communities to enable people who wish to learn the Welsh language;

·           Town/Community Councils should be afforded further resources to allow for the services of a Translator, if required, at their meetings.  Resources should also be available to enable agendas and minutes of meetings been bilingual.   The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) responded that whilst agreeing with the comments made, she noted that there are no further resources available at present.  She noted that Town/Community Councils may have to consider raising the precept of the Council Tax to address the issue raised.  She further stated that Unllais Cymru have noted that they are willing to afford Town/Community Council with a presentation as to how to deal with their meetings and administration bilingually;

·           The influx of potential Wylfa Newydd workers living on the Island will impact on the Welsh language statistics. The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) responded that dialogue with the owners of Wylfa Newydd has been undertaken to ascertain as to how they intend to protect the Welsh language on the Island when the workers arrive to construct the power station in the future.  She further stated that a suggestion has been put to them that they should consider financing 5 dedicated Officers within the catchment areas of the Island to promote culture, sports and the Welsh language;

·           Concerns raised with regard to some children choosing not to speak Welsh when they leave primary schools to secondary schools.  The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) responded that the Education Department have been working with the new Head of Ysgol Cybi in Holyhead and the Heads of the three schools that will amalgamate into the new school have agreed on priorities within their improvement plan which includes the improvements in the literacy of children attending the school.  The Holyhead High School has also been part of the improvement plan with regard to the work required to improve the Welsh language within the school.  She further stated that School Governors should also be encouraged to priorities the use of the Welsh language within their schools;

·           That young people within the Authority’s secondary schools be able to be guided into the opportunities that will be created within the Energy Island major protects with regards to administration posts and engineering opportunities.  The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) responded that the Authority has stated that they would like to see 90% of the apprenticeships afforded opportunities within the Energy Island projects to be bilingual;

·           Whilst welcoming the County Council intensions to further enhance the use of the Welsh language within the day to day running of the authority, it was suggested that there is a need to go a further step with regard to having meetings of the Senior Leadership Team, Head of Service and Senior Managers meetings through the medium of Welsh.  Specific departments should be targeted to enhance the use of the Welsh language.  The Assistant Chief Executive (Partnerships, Community and Services Improvement) responded that most meetings are conducted through the medium of Welsh but agreed that some departments need to enhance the use of Welsh language.  She stated that the Policy and Strategy Manager has been instrumental in guiding staff opportunities to be able to attend courses and activities to enhance and learn the Welsh language;

·           The enhancement of the use of the Welsh language within the administration of the Authority would enlighten the young people of the Island to appreciate that there are opportunities within the local authority to use the Welsh language and to keep them on the Island;

·           The need for enhancing opportunities to use the Welsh language within Community activities within the Island.  Organisations within the communities should consider making applications to the Isle of Anglesey Charitable Trust with regard to enhancing the use of the Welsh language during activities they are responsible for. 

Following further deliberations it was RESOLVED to endorse the Welsh Language Strategy 2016-2021 (Draft) for approval by the Executive and thereafter by the full Council. 

ACTION : As noted above.