Welsh Language Census Results Working Group

In April 2013, the Welsh Language Census Results Working Group met for the first time. The group has been set up by Carmarthenshire County Council to analyse the 2011 Census results regarding the Welsh language in the county.

The aim of the Working Group is to consider approaches for the Council and wider community to address the current decrease in the numbers of Welsh speakers. The Census Working Group was established by full Council with cross party support.

In the first meeting, eight priority areas were agreed upon to consider in more detail and they were planning, focusing on affordable housing and the language within sustainable development; education including nursery, statutory, further, higher and second language acquisition; the Welsh language and the economy; Welsh medium workplaces and administration; the impact of organisations which promote the Welsh language; opportunities to use the Welsh language in the community focusing on Welsh for adults and use of Welsh outside the school; language transmission in the family and marketing the language.

Councillor Cefin Campbell was elected chair of the Working Group, and Councillor Calum Higgins was nominated vice Chair. Councillor Cefin Campbell said “The remit of the Working Group is very important following the decline in the number of Welsh speakers, and I am pleased to see cross party support to the work. The work of collecting evidence will be crucial to ascertain answer and to safeguard the language in the communities of the county.”

Councillor Calum Higgins, Vice Chair of the group said “I am looking forward to working with the experienced members of the group. We have many issues to discuss and to respond to for the benefit and future of the Welsh language.”

The group extends an invitation to members of the public to contribute to the research and analysis by either writing to Census Working Group, Policy and Community Planning, County Hall, Carmarthen, SA31 1JP or by sending an e-mail to WelshLanguage@carmarthenshire.gov.uk by 31 July with any evidence or ideas and comments. The group will be reporting on its initial findings after six months and will be able to propose recommendations for the Council to consider. The group is in contact with the Welsh Government as they establish a Commission to look at the situation of the Welsh language in Carmarthenshire.