Accessibility links

1
Language selection

Agenda item

Update Report on Implementation of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and Welsh Language Standards

Minutes:

The Equalities Officer presented a report to update Cabinet Equalities Committee on the implementation of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 and the Welsh Language Standards.  He explained to Members that the Authority received its final compliance notice on 30 September 2015 and had since been preparing for compliance with the standards by holding  initial awareness raising sessions for staff between July and September 2015.  He advised Members that a Welsh Language Standards Implementation Board had also been established which was chaired by the Head of Human Resources and Organisational Development and comprising directorate representatives. 

 

The Equalities Officer advised the Committee that attached at appendix two to the report were a list of the standards that the Authority had appealed and were waiting for a response to. 

 

A Member asked if Welsh Government had provided statistics that had been achieved as a result of the implementation of the standards.  The Equalities Officer advised Members that they had not received any specific data from Welsh Government.  He added that the only information they had was based on Census data which confirmed that 9.7% of people in Bridgend spoke Welsh.  He added that further information would be available from a forthcoming national survey in Wales that may assist, however the information was not yet available. 

 

A Member was concerned that the implementation of the standards would not increase or encourage welsh speakers in the Borough and suggested that the resources would be better placed in Welsh Medium Schools.  Another member agreed and stated that the implementation of the Welsh Language standards was forcing the Welsh language onto people, particularly those who did not speak welsh.  She agreed that it should be made available to those who wish to use it.  The Member was also concerned that as a basic welsh language speaker, if a constituent wished to communicate in welsh then she would have difficulty. 

 

The Equalities Officer advised that this was a concern as the Authority does not have a large number of Welsh speakers.  He added that if a situation was presented to Members where they had a constituent that wished to communicate in Welsh that Officers at the Authority could arrange simultaneous translation to Members. The Chairperson was concerned that this could cause delays in some processes, particularly in Social Services.

 

A Member noted that some other Authorities have two websites one each for English and Welsh and asked if BCBC had considered doing the same for ease of use. 

 

The Marketing and Engagement Manager stated that the Authority had not considered this because BCBC was not fully bilingual and there were not enough pages of the website that had been translated.  She added that the translation of the website was currently under appeal as there would be a huge amount of work and Resource involved in getting it fully bilingual.  She further added that the Authority was reviewing the content of the web pages as anything unnecessary could be removed. 

 

A Member asked if BCBC were consistent with other Local Authorities on what standards had been appealed.  The Equalities Officer stated that the appeals were similar to other Local Authorities but some had appealed far less than what BCBC had.  He advised that the Authority were expecting a lot more requests than had been received to correspond in Welsh since the implementation of the standards, however requests for using the Welsh Language in the Authority had not increased to date. 

 

A Member asked for clarification on the appeal and if it was to not comply with the standards indefinitely, or, if it was for an extension in time in which to comply with them.  The Equalities Officer stated that it was generally for more time to comply with the standards but some were appealed on the grounds of proportionality and reasonableness. 

 

A Member asked if the penalty fines were suspended during the appeals process and the implication of not adhering to the standards if the appeals were not successful.  The Equalities Officer advised that no fines would be issued during the appeals process and fines will not be backdated if the appeals were not upheld.  He added that the Authority were trying to be reasonable in complying with as many standards as possible as once the outcomes of the appeals were confirmed, there would potentially be a £5k fine per non-compliance with a standard.

 

Members were collectively concerned about the recurrent budget pressure and costs of implementing the Welsh Language Standards.  The Cabinet Member Communities advised that if the Authority were able to research the percentage of people in the Borough that were able to conduct a business meeting in welsh, that alone would be enough to appeal more of the standards.  The Equalities Officer advised that the appeals process was now closed and any further appeals submitted would not be considered.  Members stated that if the Authority were able to evidence the statistics in that there was not an increase in the use of the Welsh Language then the Authority could lobby AMs to move an amendment to the Welsh Language Measure.

 

RESOLVED:       The Cabinet Equalities Committee noted and considered the report

Supporting documents:

 

A to Z Search

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  14. N
  15. O
  16. P
  17. Q
  18. R
  19. S
  20. T
  21. U
  22. V
  23. W
  24. X
  25. Y
  26. Z