Author Archives: Ruth Richards

THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK:

Reply

Dyfodol i’r Iaith is convinced that the proposed National Planning Framework can make a key contribution to the Welsh Government’s laudable aim of creating a million Welsh speakers by 2050.

 

We welcome specific aspects of the draft document, such as the emphasis on affordable housing, the cautious development of rural areas and the central importance of the Well-being of Future Generations Act. We are also satisfied to note that the responsibility for Welsh Language impact assessments now rests with the Local Authorities.

 

The Overview and point 4 within the Results section are promising in that they acknowledge the importance of the Welsh language to Planning process. However, the language receives no mention as part of the checklist of considerations for Strategic Planning Schemes.

 

Dyfodol i’r Iaith therefore calls upon the Welsh Government to ensure that the following considerations are included in the final version of the National Planning Framework, so that flourishing Welsh-language communities continue to survive in 2050: –

 

  • The allocation of a western Region, which includes all counties containing communities where more than 25% of the population speak Welsh. A number pf County Councils have designated a baseline of 25% Welsh speakers as communities where the effects of house building needs to be assessed. Dyfodol i’r Iaith wants this principle in relation to such communities to be an integral part of the National Development Framework.

 

  • Revise all levels of the Planning system, ensuring that the Welsh Government works in equal partnership with the Local Authorities. Each Local Authority with communities of 25% Welsh speakers or above should, in turn, work with Community Councils and local Mentrau Iaith in deciding what developments would be suitable for these areas.

 

  • In each community with more that 25% of Welsh speakers, consideration should be given to the following:

[a] the number of empty houses

[b] birth and death rates over the previous decade

[c] the in and out migration patterns over the previous decade when allocating, within Local Development Plans, the number and location of homes to be built.

 

  • We would also call for the Welsh Language Commissioner to be given the same Statutory Consultee status as other environmental and sustainability organisations to protect and promote the Welsh language. This extra responsibility would, of course, entail developing the expertise within the Commissioner’s office.

 

  • Finally, we would wish to see The National Development Framework adopt the key principle of prioritising the effect of “land use “on local inhabitants and the Welsh language to support the aims of the Welsh Government.

 

DYFODOL CALLS FOR EXPENDITURE ON WELSH FOR PARENTS

Reply

It appears likely that the Welsh Government is set to receive £400 million as a result of the money allocated to education in England. Dyfodol i’r Iaith have asked for a proportion of this money to be set aside to help parents of school age to learn Welsh.

Heini Gruffudd, the organisation’s Chair said:

“We have asked the First Minister, the Minister for Education and the Welsh Language Minister to allocate £10 million of this money to encourage parents to learn Welsh and for the work to be administered through the National Centre for Learning Welsh.

The money can be spent on Welsh language lessons for parents committed to using the language within their homes. This would be a great boost to children who are learning the language within all schools, Welsh-medium or otherwise, and would be a significant step towards the aim of creating Welsh-language households. We believe that establishing the Welsh language in the home is key to the future success of the language, and that this investment would provide excellent value for the language.”

 

NO-DEAL BREXIT AN INIQUITY TO THE WELSH LANGUAGE

Reply

Following the Westminster Government’s decision to suspend Parliament in order to force a no-deal Brexit, Dyfodol i’r Iaith has declared that such a development would be disastrous for rural Wales. Since these are the very areas which continue to support the Welsh langugage as the natural, default medium, it would also be iniquitous to the Welsh language.

Heini Gruffudd, Cadeirydd Dyfodol’s Chair said:

“There is now a clear consensus that leaving the European Union without a deal would be a disaster for the rural Welsh economy. These areas, of course, contain the very communities which continue to support Welsh as a living language, and if the economy of these areas is decimated, then the language loses its backbone.

It should also be noted that the European Union supports minority languages and promotes economic links for rural areas.

Acknowledging the essential relationship between the economy, language and culture, we would call on the Welsh Government and all who would wish to see the Welsh language flourish to make it plain to the Government in Westminster that we are not willing to accept such unprincipled and destructive conduct.”