Councillors say Welsh Language policy “misunderstood” after criticism

Councillors have defended a new Welsh language policy and claimed the purpose of the plan had been “misunderstood”.

Denbighshire County Council’s cabinet approved a five-year plan aimed at increasing the day-to-day use of Welsh among its staff and councillors.

The draft council report set out how the authority could show a “commitment to doubling the daily use of Welsh in the workplace and support the national aim of reaching a million speakers by 2050”.

Under the proposals, “all internal communications – newsletters, staff bulletins – will be bilingual with Welsh first, including signage, announcements and statements”.

The policy will see the council pledge to “maintain” bilingual communications across its channels whilst encouraging staff to take up the language “whatever their level”.

Press coverage of the policy included a list of proposed actions, one being to “target departments with low performance in mystery shopper exercises to receive training”.

Supporting 

The council report also pledged that the authority will “create and maintain a database showing the level of Welsh required for each role and the current skills of staff, as a basis for planning, learning, and training”.

During the meeting, Cllr Emrys Wynne, the lead member for Welsh language, suggested the word “targeting” was amended in the report to “supporting”.

Speaking at the cabinet this week, councillors suggested the coverage had been misleading. Cllr Julie Matthews said the policy had been reported negatively.

“I have seen that this policy has been noted in the press, and it is quite negative really, because what it is actually doing is offering an opportunity to staff to upskill.

“But it is about encouraging and upskilling staff as well, and I think the negativity probably came from… I suppose it’s a place really where people are thinking that this policy means it is compulsory to be able to work for the council, compulsory to speak Welsh, working for the council.

“But this isn’t what the policy is doing. It is just trying to encourage staff and members to use Welsh as widely as possible.”

Cllr Rhys Thomas also waded in with his criticism, suggesting the report had been “misunderstood”.

“Somebody drew my attention to a report that had been in the local press, talking about the fact that this was going to come to this morning’s meeting,” he said.

“And I was a bit surprised to see what was in that article in the press, because it wasn’t what I had read in this policy of the intention of the policy.

“But I’ve got to start being concerned with the literacy levels of some of our local reporters, if they can misunderstand, as they obviously have done, about the report in front of us this morning. When I read this – and I do approve the policy – I have no problems with it.”

Raising confidence 

He added the policy should help raise confidence among staff using Welsh.

Council leader Jason McLellan added: “I was a bit disappointed with the negativity as well, because it’s not about compulsion, is it?”

Cllr Emrys Wynne said: “It is an essential part of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s policy, and that is why Denbighshire County Council is strengthening this.

“It has existed in Denbighshire for a number of years, but we are strengthening it now to give the same opportunity to all members of staff to master Welsh language at a level they are comfortable with.” The cabinet approved the policy.