New support confirmed for communities with high numbers of Welsh speakers

Areas with high numbers of Welsh speakers will get extra support to strengthen the language, after Welsh Ministers accepted recommendations from a report published last summer.

After a two-year study by the Commission for Welsh Speaking Communities led by Dr Simon Brooks, the Welsh Government has accepted several proposals to protect Welsh as a community language.

Urdd Eisteddfod

Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford announced the plans at the Urdd Eisteddfod today, confirming the government will:

Give support to areas with higher concentrations of Welsh speakers to target support

Make sure residents in these areas, and across Wales, can access Welsh-medium education

Provide more guidance about the language across a range of policy areas

Recommendations have been accepted across policy areas including economy, housing, community development and education. The Government will coordinate with local authorities and partners to discuss and implement the recommendations.

‘Tailored policies’

Mr Drakeford said: “Cymraeg belongs to us all, and to every community across Wales. I am grateful for the Commission’s hard work on this report, and I hope that by accepting their recommendations, we can strengthen Welsh in all our communities.”

“We agree in principle that areas of linguistic significance should be designated and will now progress this by working with partners to create tailored policies that respond to the specific needs of Welsh-speaking communities”

Earlier this month it was confirmed that Dr Brooks was stepping aside as Chair of the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities for a period, while he receives cancer treatment.

Professor Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones, the vice-chair of the second phase of the Commission, has agreed to take over as interim Chair in the meantime.

In a written statement, Mr Drakeford said: I wish Simon all the best while receiving treatment and look forward to him resuming his role as soon as its feasible for him to do so. I would like to thank him for his comprehensive work and for his vision and leadership.

The Commission’s first report has made a profound and detailed analysis of the challenges facing our higher density communities.”