Welsh-speaking areas to get 'targeted support'
'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.'
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Pembrokeshire Herald
a day ago
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Welsh language housing plan ‘risks division,' says Tory MS
Government proposals under fire amid concerns over bureaucracy and exclusion THE WELSH Labour Government's response to a key report on the future of Welsh-speaking communities has come under fire from the Conservatives, who claim its new language-based planning proposals risk fostering division and exclusion. Plans published in response to the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities include stronger restrictions on second home ownership, measures to prioritise housing for Welsh speakers in heartland areas, and changes to the planning system that would incorporate linguistic impact assessments into applications. While ministers say the approach is vital to protect and strengthen the Welsh language in areas where it is most at risk, critics argue the proposals are vague, heavy-handed, and likely to cause bureaucratic delays and resentment. Speaking on Thursday (May 29), Tom Giffard MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for the Welsh Language, said: 'While we welcome efforts to promote the Welsh language, the Welsh Labour Government must take a balanced approach, ensuring the needs of all Welsh residents are met. 'Policies prioritising specific areas or communities based on linguistic criteria could unintentionally exclude or disadvantage others, add bureaucracy, and create unintended consequences for residents and businesses. Such an approach risks fostering division instead of cohesion.' The Labour Government's plans follow recommendations made by the Commission earlier this year to prevent the ongoing erosion of Welsh as a community language, particularly in rural and coastal areas where house prices have surged and the number of fluent Welsh speakers has fallen. But the Conservative Party says the response fails to address underlying issues such as poor housing supply, limited economic opportunity, and a lack of transparency in the planning system. 'Labour's track record on housing is weak,' said Mr Giffard. 'They've missed house-building targets repeatedly and left thousands on waiting lists. We have serious doubts about their ability to deliver these new policies effectively.' Welsh Labour has defended its stance, saying the Welsh language is part of the nation's shared cultural inheritance and that urgent action is needed to secure its future. A government spokesperson said the policies would be subject to consultation and that local authorities would retain flexibility in implementation. The Welsh Conservatives have called for a full impact assessment and greater clarity on how the measures would affect residents, developers, and small businesses. A public consultation is expected to launch later this year, with draft guidance and legislative changes potentially following in 2026. Background The Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities, chaired by academic Dr Simon Brooks, was tasked with identifying strategies to strengthen the use of the language in everyday life. Its final report warned that Welsh may 'disappear as a community language' from parts of Wales unless targeted intervention takes place. Key recommendations included linguistic impact assessments for housing developments, expanded language requirements for public services, and greater community control over land use. While supported by Plaid Cymru and Welsh language campaigners, the proposals have been labelled 'discriminatory' by some opposition politicians and property groups.
South Wales Argus
3 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Extra support for areas with lots of Welsh speakers
This comes after ministers accepted recommendations from a report by the Commission for Welsh Speaking Communities, led by Dr Simon Brooks. The two-year study proposed several measures to protect Welsh as a community language. Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford announced the plans at the Urdd Eisteddfod. The government will provide targeted support to areas with higher concentrations of Welsh speakers, ensure access to Welsh-medium education, and offer more guidance about the language across various policy areas. Recommendations were accepted in several areas, including the economy, housing, community development, and education. The government will work with local authorities and partners to discuss and implement these recommendations. 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."
ITV News
3 days ago
- ITV News
Welsh government unveils new measures to halt the decline of the Welsh language
The Welsh government has unveiled fresh measures aimed at halting the decline of the Welsh language, but some of the measures they plan to take could be controversial, ITV News Wales Reporter Rhys Williams reports Latest census data showed a small decline in the number of Welsh speakers in Wales from 19% to 17.8%. But a big rise in the number of children speaking Welsh in Cardiff meant the true loss of the language in its historical heartlands was areas like Brynamman, at the southern tip of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, the language is in significant the 1970s, more than 90% of the village spoke Welsh. Now, fewer than 60% do so. Campaigners say this story is replicated in many majority Welsh speaking communities across western Wales, where English is now becoming the dominant language. They argue that housing developments with insufficient affordable homes, as well as the proliferation of second homes, inflates property prices and reduces the number of Welsh-speaking families able to stay in these the Welsh government has announced plans to give protected status to some Welsh speaking communities akin to special conservation areas. That would mean developers and local authorities will have to increase the consideration given to the Welsh language when applications are Welsh government's Secretary for the Welsh Language, Mark Drakeford, told me he accepts this policy may lead to more developments being blocked, but says it's a matter of 'levelling the playing field' for local many in the construction industry say the last thing the planning process needs is more bureaucracy. It's also far from clear how this policy work in practice and succeed in arresting decades of decline.
