Cymdeithas yr Iaith

CARMARTHENSHIIRE County Council has today received evidence from Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg about what needs to be done to safeguard and promote the Welsh language in the county.

The Welsh Language Society handed over the evidence to the Welsh Language Census Results Working Group. The move follows the Society handed its Carmarthenshire Charter to Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge in June.

The Working Group was meeting in County Hall and is in the process of receiving evidence from various groups and organisations.

The group was set up in April by Carmarthenshire County Council with cross party support to analyse the 2011 Census results regarding the Welsh language in the county. It is considering approaches for the council and wider community to address the current decrease in the numbers of Welsh speakers.

The group is collecting evidence from several organisations and associations in connection with the eight priority areas. The priorities to consider in more detail include 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.

Cllr Cefin Campbell said before the meeting: “We are aware of the seriousness of the situation and the need for far-reaching, radical answers. The policies we have are clearly not working. I’m looking forward to meeting the Welsh Language Society.”

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 October with any evidence or comments. The group will be reporting on its findings and will be proposing 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.