Welsh Language Strategy 2023 to 2028: foreword
Foreword
We are pleased to provide the revised version of our Welsh Language Strategy, following a strategic review. It has been five years since the current version was approved, and during this time a large number of improvements have been introduced to promote and facilitate the Welsh language internally and within the wider community. The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011 enabled the Government to set standards regarding the Welsh Language, and Welsh Government expects the Council to adopt a Welsh Language Strategy, as part of its response to the Standards. Five years following the publication of the Strategy, we are now publishing a revised version.
The Council continues to respond positively to the Welsh Language Standards and we have succeeded in appointing a Welsh Language Officer in response to the Standards and Strategy in order to ensure that we fully comply and to promote the Welsh language and culture within the workplace. It has also responded positively to the 'More Than Just Words' framework which has been established in order to improve Welsh language provision in the health and social care sector. An inclusive action plan is in place and Denbighshire is committed to implementing that plan in the county, for the benefit of the county's residents. The Council also has a Welsh Language in Education Strategic Partnership which looks at the strategic development of the Welsh language in the county's schools. An Action Plan has been approved by the Welsh Government.
Combining the Welsh Language in Education Strategic Plan and the Language Forum
Denbighshire's Welsh in Education Strategic Plan until 2032 includes information about merging the current Welsh in Education Strategic Group with the County's Welsh Language Forum. During the last year, the Welsh Language Forum officers have focussed their efforts on combining the Forum and the Welsh Language in Education Strategic Plan following other successful models.
This means that each meeting is divided into two parts with one part specifically dedicated to Education and the other specifically dedicated to the Language Forum. There will be a minimum of 3 meetings each year and the intention is to have an independent Chairman. The main advantages of this structure are ensuring a clear strategic direction, reduced duplication of activities and increased opportunities for stakeholders to collaborate with each other.
Looking to the future
We have created our vision for the Welsh language in Denbighshire.
- The Corporate Plan 2022-27 makes a firm commitment to ensure that the Welsh language is a thriving and evolving language.
- Denbighshire is a predominantly bilingual county with a rich heritage and culture. We are proud of this and want that pride to be reflected in our daily work with communities, residents and our staff.
- We are committed to ensuring that the principles of the Welsh Language Standards are the basis for the method in which we provide services to the public; we want people to be able to access services through their natural language of choice, at every stage of their lives.
- We wish to build on the bilingual culture and ethos of the organisation, providing training and social opportunities for our staff to work in Welsh and to increase their confidence to use the language in the workplace.
- We wish to work with partners and the wider community to ensure that Welsh is a thriving language in Denbighshire.
- We have an ambition to be sector leaders in the development of the Welsh language in Wales.
Our aim is to prevent the reduction in numbers of Welsh speakers in Denbighshire with the intention of considering a longer term target to increase the number of Welsh speakers over the next 15 years. The Council will provide the main elements of this strategy by working strategically and in collaboration with a variety of community organizations in order to further mainstream the Welsh language into service provision and to ensure that it is an essential consideration in projects, strategies and future work schemes.
It is essential that the Welsh language forms a key part of the policy creation process in each of our areas of work, including planning, regeneration, education and social care. For this purpose, the Council will work with partners to ensure that linguistic planning is a more strategic outcome, to ensure that all partners work together towards the same goal: protecting and enriching the Welsh Language in Denbighshire.
Councillor Emrys Wynne
Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture and Heritage
Gary Williams
Corporate Director Governance and Business
Graham Boase
Chief Executive
Jason McLelland
Leader of the Council