Increase in Welsh language speakers working for Blaenau Gwent council revealed in annual report

THE NUMBER of Welsh speakers working for Blaenau Gwent council has increased, a report has revealed.
At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Cabinet on Wednesday, July 19, councillors received the annual Welsh Language Report for 2022/2023.
The report shows how the council had performed against the Welsh Language Standards requirements during the last year.
The point of the language standards is to ensure that public bodies such as Blaenau Gwent council are complying with its legal duty to treat Welsh “no less favourably” than English.
It is also legal requirement to publish the annual report by the end of June.
Council leader, Cllr Steve Thomas said: “Overall it is an improving picture. There is a way for us to go but we’re on the case.
“The data shows that the council has identified 45 members of staff from 2,959 staff who are fluent Welsh speakers, which is an increase of 11 staff in comparison to 2021/22 figures.
“This increase is consistent across the council with figures rising across all directorates.
“The total number of staff who have Welsh language speaking skills ranging
from ‘fluently’, ‘quite well’, ‘moderately’ to ‘a little’ is 537, which is 18 per cent.
“This is an increase of 67 members of staff from the 2021/2022 reporting period.”
The number of council staff have no Welsh language speaking ability had also dropped from 50 per cent to 45 per cent, said Cllr Thomas.
Cllr Thomas said: “Of our departments, education has the most fluent Welsh speakers with 30.”
Cllr Thomas added that there had been no complaints from the public, but that Welsh Language Commissioner’s Office had investigated the council.
The report shows that the commissioner’s office had found areas for improvement on the council’s website, social media posts and the need for an internal Welsh language policy.
Cabinet member for social services, Cllr Haydn Trollope said that he had been part of a recent interview panel at a school where four applicants who brought up Welsh as part of presentations in their interviews.
Cllr Trollope: “They felt that Welsh is so important and I’m glad to see that.”
Cabinet member for regeneration, Cllr John Morgan raised concerns about the lack of fluent Welsh speaking teachers in Blaenau Gwent and the need to increase these numbers.
Cllr Morgan said: “There’s a massive shortfall of Welsh teachers for secondary schools, there appears to be one applicant for every three of four jobs at the moment that are out there.”
“This is something that could knock us off track through and not our own fault.”
Acting director of education, Luisa Munro-Morris said: “There is a shortage, and we need to make sure those students are coming through the system.”
“We are working really closely with the colleges both in Swansea and Cardiff on this and supporting with their recruitment drive.”
Councillors approved the report which has been available to the public since June 30. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​