Agenda item

To consider the report of the Language Consultant

A report was presented by the Language Advisor, briefly reporting on the findings of the Welsh Language Commissioner's Assurance Report. It was noted that the report was the result of work to monitor complaints, research, observing and questioning focus groups, which demonstrated findings about the success of organisations to implement and comply with the Standards.

The Commissioner's latest assurance report was published under the title Rights in Use in summer 2019. The report focused on the ability of organisations to guarantee that an individual's right to Welsh language services was satisfied and the public's use of these services.

Attention was drawn to the relevant matters in the report;

-       That awareness needed to be raised of the requirements of the Standards

-       There was a need to ensure that everyone across the Council was aware of their responsibilities and duties in terms of the Standards

-       More activities needed to be considered to check services at random

-       That the self-monitoring form needed to be used as a means of gathering information regularly by departments for compliance

-       That sufficient time and staff resources be allocated to fulfil the role of monitoring the implementation of the Standards.

-       That executive and specialist officers be included early enough in the planning and implementation of projects in order to make the best of every opportunity to promote the Welsh language.

-       There was a need to motivate people to use Welsh and gather meaningful information with regard to an individual's language use.

The members expressed their thanks for the report, and the actions were welcomed.

During the ensuing discussion, the following main observations were noted by members:

-       That the Council needed to communicate its expectation for people to contact the Council through the medium of Welsh

-       Needed to emphasise that the Council's administrative language was Welsh

-       Needed to promote the fact that a very high percentage of staff spoke Welsh

-       There was a need to maximise the use of the Welsh language in information technology

-       Heads of Departments should be invited in turn to share experiences / good practices on how they responded to the requirements of the Standards. There was a suggestion to report on the situation of the Welsh language in their departments, offering examples of successes and challenges so that the Committee was aware of the situation.

-       A request for the Cabinet Member to present a brief report to meetings of the Committee, which would provide a strategic overview on the work of the Council

-       A request to include reports on complaints / commendations as a fixed item on the agenda

Resolved:

·         To invite Heads of Departments to the Committee in turn to provide an update on the situation within their departments.

·         Restore the practice of including complaint reports as a short, standing item on the agenda which would also include commendations.

·         That the Cabinet Member presents a short report that would provide a strategic overview on developments in the field of the Welsh language within the Council.