On Thursday 8 August in the National Eisteddfod in Pontypridd the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities launched their report on communities with a higher density of Welsh speakers. In an event in the Societies tent the Chair of the Commission, Dr. Simon Brooks presented the document by outlining some of the report’s main recommendations.
Without doubt, the main proposal the report makes is to establish ‘areas of higher density linguistic significance’ which will bestow a specific status on areas that have within them more than a set percentage of Welsh speakers. The Commission’s recommendation is that this be set at 40%, but they have deferred responsibility for setting the exact target to the Welsh Government. In his presentation Dr. Brooks was keen to emphasise that communities that have percentages that are a few points lower than any set threshold should not be excluded from being an area of higher density linguistic significance. Dr. Brooks was careful to emphasise in his comments that Welsh was a national language that belongs to all of it’s speakers within and beyond Wales, but that there was a need for specific policy interventions in Welsh speaking communities to ensure their future.
The aim of establishing areas of higher density linguistic significance is to be a first step towards variable local policies that in the name of strengthening the Welsh language on the ground. As well as stating that these areas of higher density linguistic significance need to be created there are 56 other recommendations that the Commission makes in the name of helping the Welsh language and its speakers. These include:
- Increase the consideration of the Welsh language within policy frameworks within areas of higher density linguistic significance.
- Provide necessary powers to communities to ensure they can reverse language shift.
- New legislation to establish the framework for establishing areas of higher density linguistic significance.
- Establish a new unit within the Welsh Government in order to develop and co-ordinate policy in these areas. Create a council of experts to advice this unit.
- Create an economic development strategy formulated especially for areas of higher density linguistic significance in the name of improving local economies and providing for the needs of the population and to the benefit of homesteads.
In a statement to the press by the Welsh Government, Dr. Simon Brooks said:
‘It is a privilege to present the report to the Government, which is the culmination of two years of work developing policy proposals in relation to the future of Welsh-speaking communities. To ensure that Welsh is a national language that belongs to us all, its future as a community language must be secured. The Commission’s recommendations aim to do just that. By working together, we can ensure a vibrant and prosperous future for Welsh-speaking communities across the country.’
The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, said:
‘Establishing the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities was a vital step in our commitment to strengthening the Welsh language in its heartlands. I want to thank the Commission for its work and dedication. We will now carefully consider the findings and recommendations before responding to the report.’
To coincide with the launch the Welsh Government announced the second phase of the Commission which will be looking at the situation of the Welsh language in those communities that weren’t discussed in the first report, that is those areas of Wales where percentages of Welsh speakers aren’t as high and communities of speakers beyond Wales. The second phase of the Commission will be chaired once again by Dr. Simon Brooks and Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones will be the deputy chair.
The members of the second phase of the Commission bring with them a wide range of experience and expertise to the work. Those members are: Kate Windsor-Brown, Malachy Edwards, Dr Jon Gower, Dr Gwennan Higham, Ian Gwyn Hughes, Dr Rhian Hodges, Elin Pinnell, Daniel Tiplady
Discussing the second phase of the Commission the First Minister said:
‘Welsh is our national language and it belongs to all of us. I have asked the Commission to look at the use of Welsh in all areas of Wales and beyond.
We want more people to use more Welsh every day – to do that, we need more opportunities to use it in everyday life and socially. I can’t think of anywhere better to launch the next phase of the Commission’s work than here in Pontypridd, a town with a thriving Welsh language social scene, thanks to the vision and dedication of a group of hard-working volunteers.’
The final report of the second phase of the Commission will be published in the summer of 2026. You can read the newly published report of the first phase by following this link to the Welsh Government’s website.
