Agenda, decisions and draft minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies were received from Councillors Meryl Roberts (Vice-chair), Alan Jones-Evans, Hefin Underwood and Gwynfor Owen.

To receive any declaration of personal interest

No declarations of personal interest were received.

To note any items that are a matter of urgency in the view of the Chairman for consideration

No urgent items were received.

The Chairman shall propose that the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 13 October 2025 be signed as a true record  (attached)

The Chair signed the minutes of the previous meeting of this committee held on 13 October 2025, as a true record.

To consider the report.

To accept the report, noting the observations received during the discussion.

The report was submitted by the Head of the Gwynedd Immersion Education System and the Assistant Head of Education Services. They referred briefly to the following main points:

It was explained that this report was a summary of the Gwynedd Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) that had been submitted to Welsh Government in July 2025, with further updates.

⁠Attention was drawn to the Gwynedd Education Language Policy, confirming that the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025 placed a statutory duty on the Government, Local Authorities and schools to plan to increase the Welsh-medium education provision. It was explained that the act did not come fully into force until around 2030. It was noted that the intention of the Education Department and the Council was to be proactive to ensure that the requirements of the legislation were met.

It was explained that a public consultation was being undertaken on a draft of the Gwynedd Education Language Policy, following a comprehensive consultation by Meirion Prys Jones during 2024/25. It was detailed that engagement sessions had been carried out with school Headteachers, pupils, parents, language forums, language organisations, representatives of the Education and Economy Scrutiny Committee and representatives from the Welsh Language Commissioner, to steer the Policy development. It was confirmed that a draft of that Policy had been submitted to the Cabinet at its meeting on 16 December 2025. It was noted that this draft Policy had been approved as an exemplar Policy and the public consultation was applauded. Attention was drawn to the fact that the period of public consultation had commenced since January 2026, and it was noted that it would conclude on 25 February 2026. Furthermore, it was noted that a further report would be submitted to the Cabinet to present feedback from the public consultation and ask for a decision on whether the new-look Gwynedd Education Language Policy should be adopted before it was shared to Governing Bodies, before September 2026.

Pride was expressed that approximately 99% of primary school teachers and approximately 89% of secondary school teachers felt confident to teach through the medium of Welsh. However, it was noted that the Council had been collaborating with Learn Welsh North West to ensure that staff at transitional schools (Ysgol Friars - Bangor, Our Lady's School - Bangor, and Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn), received additional support to assist teachers to feel confident to teach through the medium of Welsh by receiving support from a tutor, once a fortnight.  Pride was expressed that 17 staff and pupils from Ysgol Uwchradd Tywyn had already taken advantage of this provision, confirming that work was being done to establish the post of Welsh Language Tutor for the site in future.

It was reported that work was being done to look at the social use of Welsh amongst young people. It was noted that the Council received a Welsh Language Grant every year from the Government and that it was used to promote Welsh-medium activities beyond the classroom and outside school hours.  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

To consider the report.

To accept the report, noting the observations received during the discussion.

The report was presented by the Head of Housing and Property Department and the Senior Executive Officer. They referred briefly to the following main points:

It was reported that over 11,300 local individuals had received help and support in various ways as a result of the Department's Housing Action Plan. It was noted that this support included grants, Council tax exemptions to renovate empty houses, loans through the Homebuy Scheme, supported accommodation via homelessness schemes or grants to make adaptations to the houses of disabled individuals, so that they could continue to live at home independently.

Attention was drawn to the Empty Homes Scheme, which addressed bringing homes back into use by supporting owners to bring houses to an acceptable living standard whilst also keeping residents in their communities. It was noted that 128 grants had been given to buyers with a local connection to the houses, emphasising that the total number of houses coming back into use was 321. It was emphasised that several people taking advantage of this scheme were local first-time buyers, and the Scheme allowed them to stay in their communities.

It was explained that an impact assessment on equality characteristics, the Welsh language and the Socio-Economic duty was being completed on the Housing Action Plan. Pride was expressed as the Plan was having a positive impact on every equality characteristic and the Welsh language as it increased the number and range of houses within the County for the needs of various communities. It was elaborated that the Plan was having a positive impact on the Welsh language as it helped a high percentage of Gwynedd residents, who had been priced out of the housing market, to have access to affordable homes, loans, grants or tax relief. It was reported that the data gathered by estate agents confirm that an average of 95% of new social housing estate residents can speak Welsh. It was elaborated that these estates include 26% more Welsh speakers than the electoral ward where it is located, and 31% higher than the percentage of Welsh speakers in the County.

Reference was made to plans which addressed the increase of housing supply for local people and to assist individuals to deal with the cost-of-energy crisis and fuel poverty.

Looking ahead to the 2026/27 financial year, it was noted that the Department wished to update the Welsh language impact assessment in the Common Housing Allocation Policy, as a result of new legislation that comes into force in the Homelessness field, in line with the Welsh Government's timeframe to publish that legislation. It was also explained that the department intended to take every opportunity to assist the local people of Gwynedd to access affordable homes and continue to receive data on the linguistic ability of new tenants on social housing estates.

Pride was expressed that the new on-line portal was being completed by an external company to give individuals access to application forms for social housing or updates on live applications, on-line, for the first  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6.

To consider the report.

·       To accept the report, noting the observations received during the discussion.

·       To request that the Cabinet Member for Corporate and Legal Services and the Welsh Language corresponds on behalf of the Committee with the General Registration Office, to state dissatisfaction that it is not possible to register in the Welsh language and ask them to put steps in place to change this. 

The report was submitted by the Democracy and Language Service Manager in the absence of the Head of Department. They referred briefly to the following main points:

A reminder was given that the Department contributed to the work of developing policies, strategies and projects which promoted the use of Welsh in work areas, services, communities and workforce development as a part of the Welsh Language Strategy 2023-2033.

It was noted that the department had integrated the Welsh language into key policies and continued to do so. It was confirmed that emphasis was placed on ensuring that services for the public and staff were available bilingually, with Welsh prioritised in phone systems, websites, social media, training and internal communications. It was elaborated that research provided evidence to steer decisions, and that specific projects promoted the use of Welsh amongst young people, businesses and communities.

Pride was expressed that the workforce's language skills was a priority for the Department, noting that there were training plans, support for apprentices and projects to teach Welsh to the workforce, with further support provided to those individuals who worked within the care field. It was confirmed that enterprises were in place which focused on increasing staff confidence in using the Welsh language. Attention was drawn to the fact that the report evidenced the high language skill levels of the Corporate Support Department.

It was acknowledged that the Department faced challenges and barriers when providing and promoting Welsh-medium services. Reference was made to some specific challenges such as the lack of a Welsh-medium provision by some key partners such as the police and the WLGA, national procurement and tendering systems which did not support the Welsh language adequately and social media technology. Specific attention was drawn to a barrier within the field of birth and death registration, noting that legislative restrictions restricted the ability to be able to complete a registration in Welsh only.

It was noted that the Department intended within the next year, to develop a guide to assess the impact on the Welsh language so that staff use it on major projects. It was also noted that other plans included Welsh Technology training promotion and raising staff awareness of the offer available to assist them. It was emphasised that the work in the language training field continued and that the Department also continued to collaborate with the General Registration Office to improve the Welsh provision offered.

During the discussion, the following observations were made: 

Attention was drawn to the fact that Galw Gwynedd systems ask service users whether they want to continue to use Welsh services on many occasions, although the user had already noted their language of choice. In response to the enquiry, the Senior Language and Scrutiny Advisor noted that the Officers were not aware that this question was being asked, and she confirmed that they would hold discussions with the service to ensure that this will not happen in the future.

In response to an enquiry about whether customer mobility assessments  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7.