Wrthi'n llwytho
Y penderfyniadau fel y mae cofnodion y cyngor yn eu cofnodi. Bydd crynodeb mewn iaith glir yn dilyn pan fydd wedi'i ysgrifennu.
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting held on 19th May 2025 as an accurate record.
RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To continue the Scheme as one of the range of measures the Council operates to ensure it has sufficient Welsh speaking staff to deliver services in Welsh; 3. To increase the visibility of the scheme to the public through a range of promotional and publicity measures; and 4. That Welsh Language Services will offer support to managers and staff to continue implementation and support the use of Welsh by staff.
RESOLVED: 1. To consider the content of the report; and 2. To suggest any improvements to the project.
RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To consider whether further information is required from the service areas noted in the action plan; 3. To approve to continue to progress with the actions as outlined in the current agreed Action Plan; and 4. To refer the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2022-2027 Action Plan Progress Report to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration.
RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To a mandatory Council-wide survey to collect data on staff’s use of Welsh at work, for the purpose of acquiring baseline data, to be used to set a target for the use of Welsh in the workplace, as required by the Act; 3. To increase the target approved by Cabinet in 2011 for the percentage of Council staff (non-teaching) who speak Welsh to 15% or the same percentage as the County Borough as a whole according to the Census (currently 12.4%), whichever is higher (based on the Welsh Government’s required trajectory as noted in their Cymraeg 2050 strategy); 4. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement the necessary changes to the ways in which the Council measures the Welsh language skills of its staff, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) for Languages, as required by the Act, including changes to the Council’s mandatory and optional Welsh language training courses; 5. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement the necessary changes to the ways in which the Council assesses the Welsh language skills required for roles and vacancies within the Council, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) for Languages, as required by the Act; 6. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement further Welsh Language Awareness training for Council staff to raise awareness of the new requirements; and 7. That the Council’s Senior Leadership Team consider, if necessary, increasing the capacity within Welsh Language Services to support the implementation of these new requirements.
The Chair welcomed new Members to the Sub-Committee and an apology for absence was received from the Cabinet Member for Community Services, County Borough Councillor S Emanuel.
In accordance with the Code of Conduct, there were no declarations made in respect of items contained within the agenda.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting held on 19th May 2025 as an accurate record.
Members RESOLVED to approve the minutes of the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee meeting held on 19th May 2025 as an accurate record.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To continue the Scheme as one of the range of measures the Council operates to ensure it has sufficient Welsh speaking staff to deliver services in Welsh; 3. To increase the visibility of the scheme to the public through a range of promotional and publicity measures; and 4. That Welsh Language Services will offer support to managers and staff to continue implementation and support the use of Welsh by staff.
The Welsh Language Services Manager provided the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee with a review of the first year of implementation of the Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Welsh Speakers Level 3 or above. Members were informed that data from the first year of the scheme (for vacancies which closed August 2024 – July 2025) indicated that the scheme had a positive effect on the staff Welsh language profile in conjunction with other initiatives in relation to recruitment and language skills. In the financial year ending March 2025, the percentage of staff who could speak Welsh at Level 4 or 5 (the highest levels of proficiency) was 10.51%, an increase of 1% from 2023. It was also explained that the Guaranteed Interview Scheme’s direct effect increased the number of Welsh-speaking candidates appointed or offered posts during the period by nearly 16.4% which was considered to be hugely positive after just one year of implementation. The officer also informed the Committee that just over half of the applicants who had participated in the scheme had been invited to interview (177 of 343). It was anticipated that with continued promotion, there was further potential for the scheme to continue to contribute positively to the range of measures the Council uses to ensure it is able to recruit sufficient Welsh speakers to provide services in Welsh to residents, create an inclusive environment for Welsh speaking staff, and demonstrate its commitment to the development and prosperity of the Welsh language on a local and national level. The Chair thanked the officer for the report, which had provided a useful update in terms of the implementation of the Guaranteed Interview Scheme for Welsh Speakers level 3 or above. Referring to the figures outlined in the report, which noted that the Guaranteed Interview Scheme’s direct effect had increased the number of Welsh-speaking candidates appointed or offered posts by nearly 16.4% and that in the financial year ending March 2025, the percentage of staff who could speak Welsh at Level 4 or 5 had increased by 1% from 2023, the Chair recognised the hugely positive impact of the scheme after just one year of implementation The Chair was also pleased to note that the implementation of the scheme had been positively recognised by the Welsh Language Commissioner as a progressive initiative, which had been described as ‘pioneering’ and that it ‘stands out’ amongst all local authorities in Wales as good practice. The Deputy Leader echoed the Chair’s comments and noted the positive impact made, despite the scheme being in its infancy. The Deputy hoped that the positive progress would continue and that the percentage of Welsh Speakers within the Council’s workforce increases with time. The Chair took the opportunity to thank the team and looked forward to future updates. The Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To continue the Scheme as one of the range of measures the Council operates to ensure it has sufficient Welsh speaking staff to deliver services in Welsh; 3. To increase the visibility of the scheme to the public through a range of promotional and publicity measures; and 4. That Welsh Language Services will offer support to managers and staff to continue implementation and support the use of Welsh by staff.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: 1. To consider the content of the report; and 2. To suggest any improvements to the project.
The Welsh Language Strategy Community Co-Ordinator provided the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee with information and a demonstration of Use My Cymraeg, a new proof of concept interactive map for Welsh language activities in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Chair thanked the officer for the presentation and spoke positive about the launch of the Use My Cymraeg website, which he considered to be a great example of the legacy that the Eisteddfod has left behind in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Chair praised the Local Authority for thinking of different methods of engaging with the public in terms of the Welsh Language and welcomed the concept of having all the relevant information accessible in one application. From the demonstration provided, the Chair felt that the The Chair noted that it was anticipated that the application would go live in the autumn and requested a further update on its progress be reported to the Sub-Committee at its next meeting. The Deputy Leader was equally as enthusiastic about the launch of such a useful tool and asked if, in the future, there would be an opportunity to incorporate heritage, arts and cultural information into the project. Officers took on board the suggestion and advised that it would be explored in the future. In terms of further suggestions, the Chair spoke of using the information readily available from other Council services such as Welsh Language toddler groups and meithrins, which would reduce duplication of work and make better use of resources. The officer thanked the Chair for the suggestion and advised that the map within the application would link directly to existing information, which would mean information would always remain correct and up to date for residents. The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing welcomed the project and was pleased to note the use of SPF to develop the app version of the website. The Cabinet Member commented that currently, apps were far more accessible to the public than websites. Looking to the future, the Cabinet Member spoke positive of the potential to sell the app to other Local Authorities across Wales in order to reinvest into its development and enhance its offering. The Director of Public Health, Protection and Community Services thanked the Members for their observations and provided assurance that they would be considered as part of the ongoing development of the application and website. The Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee RESOLVED: 1. To consider the content of the report; and 2. To suggest any improvements to the project.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To consider whether further information is required from the service areas noted in the action plan; 3. To approve to continue to progress with the actions as outlined in the current agreed Action Plan; and 4. To refer the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2022-2027 Action Plan Progress Report to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration.
The Welsh Language Strategy Community Co-Ordinator provided the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee with an update on the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2022 – 2027 Action Plan, as approved by the Sub-Committee on 5th May 2023 which supports the implementation of the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2022-2027, also approved by the Sub-Committee on 25 October 2022. The aim of the Council’s second statutory 5-year Welsh Language Promotion Strategy and Action Plan was to build on the good progress made by the Council and its partners to promote and facilitate the language over the past five years. Members were referred to section 5 of the report, which provided details of the Council’s positive progress made against key areas of the Welsh Language Promotion Action Plan. Section 5.7 of the report outlined the challenges and improvements required by the Council and partners moving forward. The Chair thanked the officer for the report which detailed plenty of positive progress made against the Action Plan. The Chair referred to the uptake of Siarter Iaith within all but one school in RCT, the increased opportunities for young people to access the YEPS provision through the medium of Welsh, the excellent progress of the guaranteed interview scheme and the WESP. The Chair acknowledged that there remained challenges for the Local Authority and praised the report for highlighting an honest and accurate reflection. However, it was recognised that those challenges were reflected across all 22 Welsh Local Authorities. In terms of the Siarter Iaith progress, the Deputy Leader questioned why there was just one remaining school left to engage but was confident that this would be addressed. Looking ahead, the Deputy Leader stated that it would be useful to draw down funding to introduce online Welsh Language lessons for staff to be able to access at times convenient to them. Furthermore, the Deputy Leader spoke of the importance of the monitoring of the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy and Action Plan and sought to include a further recommendation to refer the matter to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration, to which all Members agreed. The Cabinet Member for Resources, as a new Member to the Committee, took the opportunity to praise the Strategy and Action Plan for being comprehensive and thorough. The Cabinet Member added that the Council should be proud of the work going on to promote the language. The Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To consider whether further information is required from the service areas noted in the action plan; 3. To approve to continue to progress with the actions as outlined in the current agreed Action Plan; and 4. To refer the Welsh Language Promotion Strategy 2022-2027 Action Plan Progress Report to a future meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for consideration.
Y penderfyniad fel y'i cofnodwyd
RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To a mandatory Council-wide survey to collect data on staff’s use of Welsh at work, for the purpose of acquiring baseline data, to be used to set a target for the use of Welsh in the workplace, as required by the Act; 3. To increase the target approved by Cabinet in 2011 for the percentage of Council staff (non-teaching) who speak Welsh to 15% or the same percentage as the County Borough as a whole according to the Census (currently 12.4%), whichever is higher (based on the Welsh Government’s required trajectory as noted in their Cymraeg 2050 strategy); 4. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement the necessary changes to the ways in which the Council measures the Welsh language skills of its staff, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) for Languages, as required by the Act, including changes to the Council’s mandatory and optional Welsh language training courses; 5. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement the necessary changes to the ways in which the Council assesses the Welsh language skills required for roles and vacancies within the Council, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) for Languages, as required by the Act; 6. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement further Welsh Language Awareness training for Council staff to raise awareness of the new requirements; and 7. That the Council’s Senior Leadership Team consider, if necessary, increasing the capacity within Welsh Language Services to support the implementation of these new requirements.
The Senior Compliance and Policy Officer provided the Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee with information regarding the implications of the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025, on the way the Council delivers services in Welsh, assesses and develops the Welsh language skills of its workforce, and measures the use of Welsh within its workforce for both formal and informal purposes; and to seek approval for Welsh Language Services staff to prepare and complete a programme of works to ensure the requirements of the Act are met across the Council. It was explained that the Welsh Language and Education (Wales) Act 2025 is the most significant legislative development relating to the Welsh Language since the introduction of the Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, and the imposition of the Welsh Language Standards under section 44 of the Measure. Members were informed of its main aim, which is to ensure progress in regard to the 2050 target of a million Welsh speakers and doubling the daily use of Welsh, by strengthening the role of the Welsh language in education. This includes a general objective that all children in Wales will be given the opportunity to become confident Welsh speakers by the time they leave school, no matter the medium of instruction. It was noted that RCT Council had developed a good reputation for promoting the Welsh language and demonstrated its shared commitment to Welsh Governments long-term goal of a million Welsh speakers by 2050, through a range of initiatives and plans. Members were referred to section 5 of the report, which outlined the current position and the significant changes to be made to some existing Council processes, policies and targets. These included: · Changing the way the Council measures and records staff competency in the Welsh language from our current system (Levels 0-5) to the European CEFR Standard (Levels A1 to C2). The descriptors for each level are not comparable across the two systems so this will require a complete change in how we describe staff competency in Welsh. · Reflecting these changes in all policies, job descriptions, relevant training, existing iTrent data and functions, and will require us to reassess all Council staff’s current Welsh language skill levels. · Revising and reviewing our Level 1 Welsh policy and training (which requires all new staff to reach Level 1 Welsh upon appointment or withing 6 months of joining the Council). The requirements to reach A1 are substantially higher than the current Level 1, and so this may mean that more staff need to undertake training upon appointment. This will mean our Welsh Tutor may need to develop and hold more courses, and other Welsh Language Services staff may have more courses to administer (possibly in partnership with external bodies). · Develop a mechanism for measuring the current internal use of the Welsh language amongst staff, setting a progression target in relation to this, and monitoring progress. · A promotional campaign across the Council, including sessions to raise awareness amongst staff, and managers in particular, to ensure all are aware of new legal requirements, policies and targets in relation to the Welsh language. This will need to include discussions about how different services areas can encourage the internal use of Welsh amongst staff, and the implications of any changes to the Welsh Language Standards upon service delivery and operational functions. The Chair thanked the officer for the information provided and stated that the Act would have several implications for the Local Authority. The Chair noted that the ambition of the Act was to support Welsh Government’s target of one million Welsh language speakers by 2050 and acknowledged that the Local Authority must make such preparations. In terms of the work already in place, the Chair felt that the Council had a solid foundation to build upon and to address the additional requirements. In terms of recommendation 2.3 of the report, the Chair questioned if the number of Welsh speakers within the Local Authority category was on the same basis as Welsh speakers level 4 and level 5. The officer advised that it would be dependent on the Welsh Government’s assessment and development of descriptors for the CEFR for Languages but that based on current trends, the Welsh Language Services would support the inclusion of level 3 Welsh speakers, in line with the requirements of the Council’s Welsh Language Guaranteed Interview Scheme. The officer advised that an ambition of the Act was for all children to leave school at the age of sixteen, being a minimum of level B1 (which was anticipated to be slightly lower than a level 3) and emphasised the importance of encouraging those who may lack confidence to be able to use the language professionally in some capacity. The Welsh Language Services Manager acknowledged that the legislation was far-reaching and advised Members that, in terms of the target, the Council would need to be reasonable and, agreed that the inclusion of level 3 Welsh speakers would support the Council to achieve its goals. The Chair was satisfied with the officers’ responses and emphasised the importance of finding a balance between high ambitions and what is achievable. The Deputy Leader also agreed that the Local Authority needed to take a proportionate and sensible approach whilst meeting the requirements of the Act. The Deputy acknowledged that there would be financial implications, which would need to be built into the Council’s Medium Term Financial Plan and stated that any available grant funding would be sought. The Deputy Leader spoke of the importance of supporting the use of the Welsh language within the workplace and in communities; and following the feedback from officers, was content to move the recommendations contained within the report. The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Housing seconded the recommendations. The Member added that the possibility of online staff training would relieve financial and staff pressures in the future and suggested that once Welsh Government release the final descriptors, the Council’s IT department could help gather the staffing information. The Chair thanked Members and Officers for their contributions and noted that the Sub-Committee were in support of the recommendation to increase the target approved by Cabinet in 2011 for the percentage of Council staff (non-teaching) who speak Welsh to 15%. In terms of the National Institute for Welsh Learning, the Chair requested that the Council make early links and build a relationship with the new body as early as possible. The Welsh Language Cabinet Sub-Committee RESOLVED: 1. To note the content of the report; 2. To a mandatory Council-wide survey to collect data on staff’s use of Welsh at work, for the purpose of acquiring baseline data, to be used to set a target for the use of Welsh in the workplace, as required by the Act; 3. To increase the target approved by Cabinet in 2011 for the percentage of Council staff (non-teaching) who speak Welsh to 15% or the same percentage as the County Borough as a whole according to the Census (currently 12.4%), whichever is higher (based on the Welsh Government’s required trajectory as noted in their Cymraeg 2050 strategy); 4. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement the necessary changes to the ways in which the Council measures the Welsh language skills of its staff, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) for Languages, as required by the Act, including changes to the Council’s mandatory and optional Welsh language training courses; 5. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement the necessary changes to the ways in which the Council assesses the Welsh language skills required for roles and vacancies within the Council, in line with the CEFR (Common European Framework for Reference) for Languages, as required by the Act; 6. To grant approval for Welsh Language Services to work with Human Resources to implement further Welsh Language Awareness training for Council staff to raise awareness of the new requirements; and 7. That the Council’s Senior Leadership Team consider, if necessary, increasing the capacity within Welsh Language Services to support the implementation of these new requirements.
The Chair referred to the recent Council Senior Leadership Team restructure and on behalf of the Sub-Committee, took the opportunity to thank the Director of Public Health, Protection and Community Services for her work over the past few years for both the Committee and for Welsh Language services within the Council as a whole.
Rhaid i gynghorwyr ddweud pan fydd ganddyn nhw gysylltiad personol â rhywbeth sy'n cael ei drafod, fel swydd, eiddo neu aelod o'r teulu. Mae buddiant sy'n rhagfarnu yn ddigon cryf i'r cynghorydd adael yr ystafell fel arfer a pheidio â chymryd rhan.
Caiff datganiadau eu darllen o'r cofnodion unwaith y byddan nhw wedi'u cyhoeddi.
Yn rhestru cynghorwyr presennol y cyngor yn unig. Nid yw aelodau cyfetholedig, swyddogion a chyn-gynghorwyr yn cael eu dangos.