Welsh-speaking communities to get more government support
Welsh-speaking communities will receive more support after calls for a "radical shift" to stop the language's decline.Under Welsh government plans, there will be better access to education in Welsh and more guidance on the language across a range of areas, including housing, the economy, community development and education.The support, targeted at areas with high numbers of Welsh speakers, aims to strengthen the language in its heartlands in counties such as Anglesey, Gwynedd, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said the government would "respond to the specific needs of Welsh-speaking communities".
Gwynedd has an estimated 93,600 Welsh speakers and Carmarthenshire has 93,300, according to the Welsh government's annual survey.Plans come after the recommendations of a Welsh government commission in 2022 to halt the decline of Welsh speakers and its report made 60 suggestions to support the language in its traditional "heartlands".
Earlier this year, Welsh government statistics indicated the percentage of people able to speak Welsh was the lowest recorded for more than eight years, causing some to question the target of creating one million Welsh speakers by 2050.Drakeford will make the announcement at the Urdd Eisteddfod at Margam Park, Neath Port Talbot later.The Welsh government said it would co-ordinate with local authorities and partners to discuss and implement the recommendations.
Drakeford said accepting the commission's recommendations could "strengthen Welsh in our communities".The commission released a second report in February recommending that the effect on the Welsh language should be considered during planning applications, which was met with some concern from builders who said this could increase bureaucracy and lead to delays in building "much-needed" housing.
Elin Haf Gruffudd Jones, chairwoman of the Welsh Communities Commission, called the announcement a "historical turning point in public policy" but said it did not undermine how important the language was "across the whole of Wales".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Argus
23 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Welsh constituencies with highest levels of child poverty
The study by Loughborough University for the End Child Poverty Coalition reveals that 36 per cent of children in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, and 35 per cent of children in Newport East are living in poverty after housing costs are considered. The new data show the constituencies with the highest levels of child poverty in Wales as Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, followed by Rhondda and Ogmore, and Newport East. The list also includes Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, Aberafan Maesteg, and Clwyd North, Cardiff South and Penarth and Swansea West all of which have a 34 per cent of children living in poverty. Elsewhere, figures show that 33 per cent of children Ceredigion Preseli and Mid and South Pembrokeshire live in poverty. The research also highlights that 31 per cent of all children in Wales are living in poverty. Only two of the 35 Welsh parliamentary constituencies have fewer than 25 per cent of children living in poverty. Nationally, child poverty affects every community in Wales. This can mean children lacking food, warm clothing, and living in unsafe housing. The End Child Poverty Coalition, representing over 135 UK organisations, has raised concerns and called upon the government to address these figures. Rachel Walters, the End Child Poverty Coalition manager, said: "No child in the Wales or beyond should have to experience poverty. "These figures should demonstrate to government just how important it is to quickly address this so to prevent another generation of children from growing up in low-income families. "The government's strategy to tackle child poverty must invest in children in areas with higher levels of poverty. "As a first step the government must scrap the two-child limit to benefit payments, a policy which continues to pull children into poverty every day." The research identifies a correlation between the two-child limit and child poverty across Wales. It also emphasises the potential for devolved policy measures to lower child poverty rates. The introduction of the Scottish Child Payment has reportedly reduced poverty levels in Scotland. Dr Steffan Evans, head of policy (poverty) at the Bevan Foundation, said: "Whilst many of the key levers to tackle child poverty still remain at Westminster, this latest analysis highlights just how important a role the Welsh Government has to play in support children and their families. "The Welsh Government have taken many welcome steps over recent years to address child poverty such as the introduction of universal free school meals in primary schools and in updating the education maintenance allowance to make sure it's fit for purpose. "The latest analysis highlights that there is a need for all political parties to be bolder in their commitments to end child poverty as attention turns to the Senedd election next year."
South Wales Argus
an hour ago
- South Wales Argus
Letter: Newport not at forefront of industrial revolution
It was mainly private money that was the impetus, not like the nationalisation and never-ending government subsidies that have continued and are still continuing since the end of the Second World War. Although I concede that of necessity, at that time governments had to be involved with the restart of the economy. I note that the Welsh Government has an investment, or should that be another subsidy, of £7.5 million in their Flexible Skills Programme (Argus 22nd May) for training courses. Why aren't companies training more apprentices instead of relying on the taxpayers to fund those schemes? Perhaps Jessica Morden and her fellow Labour politicians should start asking, although they might not hear the answers they want, bearing in mind the present occupiers of Westminster. Newport
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Mother, 54, who 'looted' £50,000 from her own daughters' trust that had been left to them in their grandmother's will must pay back every penny
A 'greedy' mother has been ordered to pay back the £50,000 inheritance she stole from her daughters that was left to them in their grandmother's will. Katherine Hill, 54, and her father Gerald Hill, 94, from south Wales, acted out of 'greed and spite' in taking the sum left for her daughters Gemma and Jessica Thomas. The £50,000 bequest was made for them by their grandmother Margaret Hill on the provision that they could access it when they turned 25 or wanted to buy a house. One of the girls then asked for access to the cash and discovered it was gone. Katherine and her father were trustees of the account when Margaret died in 2013, but they both raided the account of every penny in the space of a year. They were both last year found guilty of fraud by abuse of position with Katherine sentenced to 30 months imprisonment, where she served half in custody and half on licence. Gerald Hill was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months. The Hills returned to Swansea Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime Hearing in a bid to claw back their ill-gotten gains. Prosecutor James Hartson said Hill initially told investigators she had a 50 per cent equity share in her partner's home after paying the mortgage for nine years. Katherine Hill's daughters Gemma (left) and Jessica Thomas (right) lost their £50,000 inheritance thanks to their mother and grandfather's actions But she later withdrew the claim and said she had no equitable right to the house - with Mr Hartson saying her change of stance was a 'thoroughly dishonest' attempt to avoid payment. Judge, Recorder Greg Bull KC, ruled in favour of the prosecution, and said Hill had 'laundered' some of her daughters' money by paying her partner's mortgage. He said Hill and window cleaner Phillip Lloyd 'lived together as man and wife' and she could repay her daughters by raising equity from their home. Recorder Bull said: 'It is significant that investigations could not reveal what had happened either to that £50,000, or to what had happened to other relatively substantial sums left to Katherine Hill after her mother's demise. 'She still maintains that she has never received the £50,000. I disbelieve her on that and I find her answer to be totally untruthful. 'Mr Lloyd is fully aware of what happened to that £50,000 and has probably helped her at least launder it, if not enjoy the fruits of her fraud.' Recorder Bull said: 'That £50,000 was used for the benefit of both of them, it would have been used to pay the mortgage, it would have been used to pay their utilities, it would have used to enjoy their lifestyles - a lifestyle that they would not have been able to afford.' 'This is a couple who lived as man and wife, they shared their income and they shared the money looted by Miss Hill from her daughters.' Katherine was told she must pay £50,000 in three months or face six month prison in default. Mr Hill was ordered to pay £6,000 for his part in the fraud or face three months in prison. The court heard if neither of the Hills pay they will be jailed but their debts would not be cleared. In a victim impact statement read at Swansea Crown Court following the Hills' conviction, Jessica Thomas said she found it difficult how her family could cause her so much 'harm and pain' and the fact that they can lie so easily 'scares' her. The qualified nurse added: 'Financially, my life has been affected more than I thought.' In a written statement, her sister Gemma said that their actions have caused her to be in debt and 'it's been a great deal of emotional and financial stress.' She added that she feels 'let down and lied to' by two people who are meant to be her 'blood and family.' The withdrawals, made over the course of a year, included one for £15,000 and others for £10,000 - along with a single bank transfer of £2,300 directly into Katherine Hill's account. She claimed that transaction was used to pay for the family's boxer dog operation which Jessica had agreed to, adding that smaller amounts of money were spent on shopping trips at New Look and Primark on behalf of her daughters. She said: 'It was for their benefit - I didn't think I was doing anything wrong.' The fraud was only identified in 2018 when one of the daughters asked to access her share of the funds early to help buy a house with her boyfriend. Solicitors began a civil investigation into the fund and the police were called in.
