Agenda item

A presentation by Gwenllian Mair Williams (Gwynedd Language Development Officer).

To present the Annual Report to the members and draw their attention to matters arising in order for the members to have a further discussion and offer any recommendations for developmental steps.

*11:30 – 12:10

(approximation)

This report was published annually.  The report was submitted by the Workplace Language Development Officer and the Welsh Language Learning and Development Officer, reporting on Welsh-medium training for Council staff and how to develop their language skills.

The report was submitted to the Cabinet in June 2019 for approval and to be uploaded publicly to the Council's website.

This was a report which looked at specific standards for workers' Welsh language skills. A question often raised was that regarding staff's current training situation in all departments of the Council other than the education department.  It was important to emphasise that the report did not include GwE nor the Trunk Roads Agency as they were regional partners.

In the current year, the department had been able to look back over four (4) years' worth of data regarding service provision standards; standards set for the Council by the Welsh Language Commissioner.  See the link on the website: <https://www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/cy/Cyngor/Dogfennau-Cyngor/Strategaethau-a-pholisiau/Cynllun-iaith/Cynllun-Hybu%27r-Gymraeg-yng-Ngwynedd-2018-2023.pdf> regarding the Welsh Language Promotion Plan for Gwynedd 2018-2023, an effort to identify the main challenges and opportunities facing the Welsh language.

Observations by members:

·         When providing their answer to the question regarding speaking and understanding the Welsh language included on the job application form, did applicants answer truthfully?

·         How was it possible to assess impact and data?

·         Data regarding support workers - some of them did not speak Welsh.

·         Leisure centres?

·         What was the definition of training language?

·         Was it possible to provide a translation service?

In response to the above observations by the Workplace Language Development Officer and the Welsh Language Learning and Development Officer, it was shown that it was possible for members of this committee to provide input with suggestions / recommendations for improvement on the report for the following year.

When interviewing applicants, it was possible to compare their linguistic skills using the interview standard, judging their linguistic responses against the results noted in the job description.

It was expressed that the unit had been working with the Equality Officer on data impact assessments in recent months.  A number of factors had led to what we were trying to achieve, and a question was raised as to how the assessments could be improved. 

It was added that when the standards regarding the definition of language and training came into force, a number of these referred to policy formulation. The attitude of officers at the time had been to work out the best way of achieving the standards.  The Commissioner's assurance report had been presented before the Language Committee the previous summer to draw attention to the matter of language assessments and equality, and to consider the best way to act.  There was no way of working to the programme in terms of the requirements, and members had been asked to consider the policy and the best impact upon the language.

Recently, the Equality Plan had looked back at the assessments to determine whether there were improvements to be made, and whether these assessments had been conducted correctly. This was developmental work which had been committed to by Council heads of service and managers.

It was noted that data for Welsh-speaking support workers in the education and care departments had been raised.  There was a need to consider the fact that these were the departments employing workers directly.  The obstacles facing us as a body was recruiting in line with the relevant skills required for the post in addition to the ability to present through the medium of Welsh.  Work was being done with the departments to determine who needed training, giving priority to frontline staff.

Reference was made to the fact that leisure centres had been included in this year's report.

It was found that there was a lack of external experts who spoke Welsh, and that this was a challenge in terms of external training courses.  There was a need to look into gaining an accurate idea of external training facilities before being able to provide a translation service.

DECISION:

To accept the report.