Implementing the Williams Commission recommendations on public services in Wales could be an opportunity to improve services in Welsh. That is the opinion of Welsh language organisation Dyfodol i’r Iaith which presented evidence to the Commission during the consultation period last year.

In its evidence Dyfodol i’r Iaith said that the linguistic makeup of Wales should be a significant consideration in any discussion on local government reorganisation. It appears that the Williams Commission has accepted this principle of respecting language boundaries in its recommendations on amalgamating county councils.

Dyfodol chair, Heini Gruffudd, said  “Here is an excellent opportunity for councils in Wales to come together to improve their service provision to their citizens in Welsh. By sharing resources and staff across the existing boundaries there is the potential to provide a better service in, for instance, social care and special educational needs.”

Heini Gruffudd added, “We also hope that amalgamating councils of a similar linguistic nature will lead to more internal administration in Welsh. The Welsh language needs to be the main language of administatration in all the local authorities in west Wales, thereby following the example set by Gwynedd Council.”

Dyfodol i’r Iaith’s presentation to the Williams Commission can be seen her (Welsh Language only) Cyflwyniad Comisiwn Gwasanaethau Cyhoeddus

Language organisation Dyfodol i’r iaith has called on Pembrokeshire County Council to correct misleading information about the Welsh language in a job advertisement.

In a recent advert for a job in social work the council says “the Welsh language does not feature prominently in the delivery of social care”. The advert also says “Generally, Welsh is only spoken as a first language in some parts of north Pembrokeshire”.

According to the 2011 Census there are around 23,000 Welsh speakers in Pembrokeshire, which equates to 19% of the population. Heini Gruffudd, Chair of Dyfodol, says the statement in the advert gives a misleading impression of the linguistic situation in Pembrokeshire and therefore belittles the use of the language and of Welsh speakers’ need to receive social care in Welsh.

Heini Gruffudd said, “We welcome the fact that the council is offering free language lessons to workers but it would be good to see the council making a genuine effort to provide social workers that can deal with Welsh speakers thoroughly  rather than offering a few phrases as a matter of courtesy.”

Mr Gruffudd added, “We would like to see the Welsh Language Commissioner drawing Pembrokeshire Council’s attention to good practice in this field, ask them to correct their information and to offer a better service to Welsh speakers.”