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Welsh Language Promotion Strategy

Published: 14/03/2019

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet has endorsed the five year Welsh Language Promotion Strategy prior to publication and implementation. 

The Council is already committed to the Welsh Language, building on the foundations of hosting the Urdd Eisteddfod in 2016.  This Strategy will support and complement other initiatives already in place including:

  • the Council’s Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) which aims to increase the number of learners being taught through the medium of Welsh.
  • Welsh Government’s Framework for Welsh Language in Health and Social Care “Mwy na Geiriau” (“More than Words”) which aims to strengthen Welsh language services in social care..
  • Welsh Government’s Strategy to achieve one million Welsh speakers in Wales by 2050.

Welsh Language Standard 145 requires the Council to prepare a five-year Promotion Strategy and publish it on the Council’s website.  The Strategy identifies how the Council can work with partner agencies and others in the community such as Town and Community Councils and businesses to promote the Welsh language.  Promoting the Welsh language will contribute to the Well-being and Future Generations Act 2015, specifically the goal to achieve “A Wales of vibrant culture and thriving Welsh Language”.

Following consultation, the Council has revised its commitment to an increase the current level of Welsh speakers in the county during this period, from 13.2% (19,343 people to 15% (21,891 people) – up from 13.6% (20,000 people) which was proposed prior to consultation.

This equates to an increase of approximately 2548 Welsh speakers (over the age of three years) over the next five years. This takes into account the increase in children attending Welsh medium education as identified in the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan as well as an increase in the number of adults learning Welsh.

The Welsh Language Promotion Strategy will also contribute to the Council’s Well-being Plan.

Flintshire County Council Cabinet Member for Corporate Management, Councillor Billy Mullin, said:

“Flintshire County Council is committed to this five year Welsh Language Promotion Strategy.  We already have a policy for Welsh in the workplace to ensure that we raise the profile of the Welsh language to help increase the number of Welsh speakers in the county and for opportunities for employees to use Welsh at work.

“Implementing this Strategy will support us in developing bilingual services.   It also sends a clear message, internally and externally, that the Welsh language is valued and is an asset in employment.”