Issue - meetings
Meeting: 29/04/2025 - Language Committee (Item 5)
PDF 233 KBTo consider
the report.
Decision:
Minutes:
The report was presented by the Head of
Housing and Property Department. She
referred briefly to the following main points:
It was reported that a number of the
Department's projects and plans contributed to the objectives of the Council's
language strategy, such as the Housing Action Plan. It was explained that this
plan included over 30 projects that aimed to tackle the housing crisis in
Gwynedd and strive to ensure that the people of Gwynedd had access to suitable,
affordable housing of a good standard to improve their quality of life. Pride
was expressed that over 8,000 local individuals had received support through
this plan to date.
It was explained that the Department's Empty
Homes Scheme addressed the lack of housing for local people. It was noted that
101 grants had been distributed to the buyers of empty houses who had a local
connection to assist them in renovating them to an acceptable standard of
living. It was updated that this scheme had recently been expanded to include
empty houses that used to be second homes. It was explained that this scheme
was previously only applicable to first-time buyers but in order to respond to
the public's high demand for support from this scheme, it was expanded to all
types of buyers and helped them to address increased materials and construction
costs.
It was confirmed that the Department gave
thorough consideration to the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015
as well as to the equality and linguistic impacts and Socio-economic duties
within the plans. There was pride in the Department's positive impact on
equality characteristics and the Welsh language by increasing the range of
housing available within the County to try and meet the needs of communities.
It was elaborated that 63% of Gwynedd residents, who had been priced out of the
housing market, had received support to access affordable homes, loans, grants
or tax relief. It was noted that Adra Housing Association had recently shared
data with the Department, confirming that 94% of the residents of a new estate
in Dinas, Llanwnda were able to speak Welsh, and similarly, that 96% of the
residents of a new estate in Tregarth had Welsh language skills. An intention
was expressed to submit a report to Cabinet to highlight the impact of this
scheme, endeavouring to extend it until 2028/29.
It was reminded that the Department was leading on the Homely Gwynedd project, which was part of the Cyngor Gwynedd Plan. It was reported that the Department achieved this by increasing the supply of housing for local people. It was assured that this was a priority to ensure that the residents of Gwynedd had suitable, affordable homes of a good standard through tenancy, support to buy a house or to renovate empty houses. There was pride that 97% of lettings through the housing register went to someone with a connection to Gwynedd, with approximately 60% going to individuals with a connection to the community in which they wish to live. It ... view the full minutes text for item 5
Meeting: 28/01/2025 - Language Committee (Item 5)
To consider
the report.
Decision:
1.
To accept the report and
note the observations received.
2.
To ask the Chair of the
Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee whether the Welsh Language Committee
Members could attend the meeting on 13 February 2025 to listen to the
discussion as the 'Education Language Policy' is scrutinised by the Members.
Minutes:
The report was presented by the Head of the Gwynedd Immersion Education System and the Head of the
Education Department. They referred briefly to the following main
points:
It was reported on a project conducted jointly between the Gwynedd Youth
Service and the Urdd aimed at increasing opportunities for young people to take
part in activities through the medium of Welsh. It was explained that the aim
of the project was to provide more opportunities for young people to use the
Welsh language outside of school, increasing their confidence in the language.
It was detailed that 5 Community Aelwydydd had been
developed in the Felinheli, Bangor, Caernarfon,
Ardudwy and Bala areas, offering various activities outside school hours. It
was confirmed that these activities were currently held at six secondary
schools, but it was emphasised that they hoped to expand on this collaborative
project to more secondary schools in the future through further collaboration
with the Urdd, Cell B, Gisda and Menter
Iaith Gwynedd.
It was explained that the Gwynedd Youth Service received a grant worth
£20,000 annually from the Welsh Government to try to increase young people's
confidence in the Welsh language. It was noted that the Service's focus was on
areas proving challenges with the Welsh language, such as Bangor and Dolgellau.
It was acknowledged that this grant had come to an end at the end of the
current financial year and, therefore, there was a need to ensure that the work
was funded through alternative methods in the future.
Reference was made to modernising plans and expanding on the immersion
provision to teach Welsh to children, confirming that the work of building and
modernising in Phase 1 had been completed. It was detailed that this phase was
a project worth £1.1 million to create immersion units that transition Primary
and Secondary education. It was confirmed that a new Immersion Unit had been
built in Tywyn and it had officially opened on 20 January 2025. It was
acknowledged that there had been a short slippage in the timetable of this
development, but the Unit was now ready to receive Welsh learners. In the same
manner, it was confirmed that Phase 2 of the modernising developments of the
immersion provision was underway with new units being developed in Dolgellau and
Maesincla. It was confirmed that the current unit at Llangybi
would be moving to the Ysgol Cymerau, Pwllheli site. It was hoped that the
three new units would be operational from the summer term 2025.
It was confirmed that the virtual 'Aberwla' ITC project had now been completed. It was explained that the project gave Welsh learners an opportunity to gain confidence to use the language socially in virtual locations before communicating in Welsh in their communities. It was explained that these virtual locations included a glamping field, a supermarket, a garage, a café, a leisure centre and a library. It was emphasised that this project was innovative, and work was being done to trial it in ... view the full minutes text for item 5