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Welsh Language Annual Monitoring Report

Published: 10/07/2019

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will review and note the Welsh Language Annual Report when it meets on Tuesday, 16 July.

The Council has a statutory duty to publish an annual report setting out how it has met the 171 Welsh Language Standards (WLS) set in September 2015 by the Welsh Language Commissioner.

The Welsh Language Annual Report provides an opportunity to set out what the Council has done to meet the standards and showcase exemplars of good practice. There have been some outstanding areas of achievement during the year: 

  • Social Services arranged a “Welsh for beginners” course specifically for the social care workforce (including the independent sector), and provided Welsh Language awareness sessions to their partners to help them understand the importance of Welsh culture in the delivery of care services.
  • Ysgol Gwenffrwd achieved the Siarter Iaith Gold award for their increased use of Welsh in social settings. Six English medium primary schools have achieved the Bronze award of “”Cymraeg Campus” for their work to develop Welsh in the school.
  • The Welsh in Education Strategic Plan is being updated and is an important strategy for increasing the number of pupils learning through the medium of Welsh and, over time, the pool of potential Welsh speaking employees.
  • Theatr Clwyd delivered, for the first time in its history, a Welsh Language Christmas show "Llew the Shoemaker”.
  • The theatre is developing a newly accredited course for bilingual facilitators - the first ever course of its kind.
  • Theatr Clwyd also increased the number of Welsh Language cinema and music events.

An understanding of the importance of the Welsh language assists in applying the standards; more employees need to complete courses available in Welsh language awareness.

A small number of complaints relating to Welsh Language were investigated by the Commissioner.  These related to telephone calls, the website, signage, information and correspondence.

Flintshire County Council Cabinet Member for Corporate Management, Councillor Billy Mullin, said:

“Flintshire County Council is committed to working with the Welsh Language Commissioner to ensure that the new standards can be practically achieved, recognising the Council’s geography and demographic breakdown.  Although we have had a small number of complaints, we continue to liaise with the Commissioner and are working hard to rectify the issues.”

Chief Executive, Colin Everett, said:

“The Council is fully committed to the Welsh Language.   We have a set of practical and realistic standards which reinforce our commitment to bilingualism whilst not being a cost burden.  Our Welsh Language Promotion Strategy continues to raise the profile and strengthen the Welsh Language in Flintshire.” 

Various methods of communication are being considered to ensure managers and employees work within the standards.