Category Archives: Dyfodol

A CALL FOR A NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FRAMWORK WHICH CONTRIBUTES THE SUCCESS OF THE WELSH LANGUAGE

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The National Development Framework 2020-2040 is expected to be published this summer. This document will set the direction for town and country planning throughout Wales, and according to Dyfodol i’r Iaith, it will have a significant implications for the Welsh language.

Wyn Thomas, a member of Dyfodol’s Board said:

“This Framework will provide a blueprint for planning over the Welsh Language Strategy’s timetable, and so one would expect it to make a positive contribution towards the Government’s aim of creating a million Welsh speakers. Unfortunately, the document in its present form misses several opportunities to do this.

The Framework gives no special consideration to Welsh-speaking areas and communities for example, and unlike the environment, the language has no Statutory Consultee to defend it. We believe that the Welsh Language Commissioner should be supported and enabled to take on this important and highly specialised duty.

As the Senedd discusses the Framework over the coming months, we are concerned that this lack of protection and expertise will undermine the consideration given to the Welsh language and the opportunity to safeguard its future within the planning system. It does not bode well that that the Housing and Local Government Minister is unwilling to discuss our concerns.

We fear that the detailed scrutiny that is necessary in relation to the language implications of the Framework will fall upon a very small number of committed Assembly Members. The relationship between town and country planning and the Welsh language is far to important to be overlooked – it is a significant issue for the whole nation.

Dyfodol have written to all the Assembly Members to draw attention to this and raise awareness of the basic principle of a planning system which supports the Government’s own committment to the Welsh language.”

A CALL TO INCREASE SPENDING ON TEACHING THE WELSH LANGUAFE IN THE COMMUNITY

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Ruth Richards, Chief Executive of Dyfodol i’r Iaith said:

“As an organisation, we are concerned about comments made in the Senedd on 28 January by Eluned Morgan, The Welsh Language and International Relations Minister..

“Eluned Morgan seem to question the value of learning the Welsh language within the community. We need to celebrate that 12,680 learners are doing just that all over Wales under the guidance of professional tutors.

“We need to strengthen the provision of learning the language within the community, and it would be good to see the Government following the example of the Basque Country and investing in this this key area.

“In the long-term, spending on the teaching of Welsh in the community and the workplace need to increase threefold, but for the time being, we would press the Government to protect and increase the spending in real terms.”

Eluned Morgan said in the Senedd, 28 January 2020:

“I wanted to look closely at teaching Welsh to adults – they receive £13 million and they teach about 12,000 people. I just want to look at this, and it takes up a lot of the budget; I want to ensure that this money is spent correctly.”

TEACHING WELSH HISTORY: A MISSED OPPORTUNITY

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Dyfodol i’r Iaith has expressed its disappointment that the Government has rejected one of the recommendations of the the Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committe regarding the teaching of Welsh history within the new curriculum.

On behalf of Dyfodol, Wyn Thomas said:

“Dyfodol i’r Iaith regrets the Government’s decision to reject the Committee’s recommendation that all pupils who study history in Wales receive consistent, standard information. A cost-free opportunity to emphasise the importance of the Welsh language to the nation’s history has been lost

“Ensuring an awareness of the language’s importance would, of course, have been a valuable contribution to Government’s aim of ensuring a million Welsh speakers by 2050.”