Welsh language Standards Annual Report

Policy Making

The Council has a responsibility, when formulating a new policy or reviewing/revising an existing policy, to consider the effect that a policy decision has on the opportunities for persons to use the Welsh language.

We reviewed all formal decisions taken by Council, Cabinet and independent cabinet members (and for which an integrated impact assessment was required) in respect of the Welsh Language Standards on policy development taken between 01/04/22 and 31/03/23.

Welsh Language Assessments are undertaken as part of wider Integrated Impact Assessments. The nature of some corporate policies and strategies, such as the Community Asset Transfer Strategy and the Procurement Strategy for example, mean that it is necessary to undertake multiple impact assessments for the individual actions that fall within the policy or strategy.

Where Integrated Impact Assessments are undertaken at a timely point within the project development cycle, there is evidence of improved adequacy. However, at least half of all Integrated Impact Assessments are still undertaken too late in the project development cycle for them to be as effective a tool as they might be for the Council. There is also increased evidence of decisions being taken with no Integrated Impact Assessment (contrary to corporate guidance). In addition, information for a number of decisions is restricted meaning there is no opportunity to check the Integrated Impact Assessment.

Corporate Integrated Impact Assessment Guidance has been updated to reflect additional advice in relation to Welsh Language Assessments recently provided by the Welsh Language Commissioner.

The addition to the Guidance reads, “Considerations should include such things as: the potential effect on the number of Welsh speakers, ‘transmission of Welsh language (e.g. from parent to child), opportunities to use Welsh in the workplace, opportunities for people to use services through the medium of Welsh, opportunities to use Welsh socially, social and economic infrastructure that supports opportunities to use the Welsh language, opportunities to learn Welsh or study through the medium of Welsh, opportunities to use Welsh digitally and language planning”.