To receive a
verbal overview on how the Service will continue to prioritise the Welsh
Language
Minutes:
A verbal report was given
by the Byw'n Iach Managing
Director on the work that has been carried out by the company to protect the
Welsh language as Council departments are externalised. It was explained
that Byw'n Iach had been
established in April 2019 as a company limited by guarantee under the
management of Gwynedd Council, acting on behalf of the Council to manage the
Leisure Centres of the County and provide a range of Sport, Health and Fitness
services. As part of the agreement, it was noted that responsibility for the language had been
included, and that collaboration with the Language Development Officers had
ensured that the transfer process had been formalised.
It was
reported that 250 staff members had transferred, and that the initial
response had been positive, with praise for the staff's attitude towards
change. A soft launch was held for the transfer, as
there were no obvious changes to customer services. It was
highlighted that the intention was to create a culture of ownership for
all staff.
In the context of
language, it was reported that the company had created
a Language policy that was equivalent to Gwynedd Council's policy, which was
relevant and practical to the Leisure field. It was emphasised that some of the
policy objectives had remained the same but with additional clauses to create
an influence within the Leisure sector. It was noted
that work was being done to develop the workplace, with an intention of
creating specialist jobs to undertake particular duties. It was
reiterated that the language specifications in job descriptions had been
challenged to be ambitious in mapping the need, and that a skills assessment
had been completed as a foundation to prioritise a work programme for the
teams.
The Council's Welsh
Language Learning and Development Officer reiterated that every member of staff
in the Leisure service who had received training was being
assessed, and that the staff member and manager was ensuring that
training took root. It was expressed that the initial feedback of the staff had
been positive, and their efforts and willingness to respond to the challenge
were commended.
Gratitude was expressed
for the information.
In response to an observation regarding the
use of Welsh language music in fitness classes, it was noted that the music had been prepared by particular companies, and it
was music without lyrics that was to be played. It would be difficult to create
a Byw'n Iach resource, however
it was accepted that the observation could be
considered.
In response to an observation regarding
developing a career path, the intention to create specific jobs
which would offer expertise in appropriate fields was highlighted.
Training and support would be delivered, with the
intention of creating more variety and opportunities for staff to develop. The
need to invest in staff in order to ensure development was
noted, along with the need to eliminate the idea that only casual jobs
were being offered in the Leisure field.
In response to an observation with regard to
considering a scheme to share profits with the staff, it was
noted that this was not currently possible, but it was a plan that could
be considered for the future. It was reiterated that Flintshire
Council had adopted such a scheme, but that Byw'n Iach had adopted an internal agreement with Gwynedd Council
In response to an observation regarding
potential conflict between moving towards specialist staff and seeking staff
that were confident in Welsh, it was emphasised that staff already employed
were likely to be able to supply the specialist need. It was
reiterated that there was an intention to make use of champions within
centres to lead on specific fields, including the Welsh language. Continuous
support will be given by the Language Unit and the
Learning and Development Unit to support the expectations.
Observations from the discussion:
- That a language target needed to be
incorporated into the Business Plan sheet (summary)
- That the English ethos amongst staff
needed to be eliminated - needed to promote the staff to use Welsh when
conversing
- That partners / colleges needed to be
targeted to better prepare individuals for jobs in the leisure sector
- Encourage the company to advertise in
local papers
- It was worth contacting Education Area
Officers
RESOLVED
to accept the information.