MCC Annual Welsh Language Monitoring Report 2012-2013
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Equality and Diversity Cydraddoldeb ac 1 Amrywiaeth Monmouthshire County Council’s Annual Welsh Language Monitoring Report 2012 – 2013 2 Version Control Title Monmouthshire County Council Annual Welsh Language Monitoring Report 2012 - 2013 Purpose Legal document required under the Welsh Language Measure 2011 Owner Monmouthshire CC Approved by Cabinet Date 5 /6 /2013 Version Number One Status Official version Review Frequency Annual Next review date 30/06/2014 GAVO ,Monmouthshire Equality and Diversity Group (MEDG), e mail to all stakeholders, Departmental Consultation Management Teams, Monmouthshire Welsh Speakers Network. 3 1. Welsh Language Scheme Compliance 6 • Action Plan 6 2. Welsh Language Frontline Services • Youth Service 17 • Welsh Language Indicators 18 3. Scheme Management and Administration 20 • Procurement 20 • Robust governance and scrutiny 20 • Departmental Business Plans 20 • Standard of Welsh Language Services 21 • Website 21 4 Linguistic Skills-Comparing Service Needs and Capacity 21 • Human Resources skills and training 21 5. Mainstreaming the Welsh Language 22 EQIA, procedural changes and good practice in promoting the language 6. Analysis of Performance by Priority and Target 24 Areas that need to be addressed 25 7. Publishing Information and Performance 26 Good practice Monitoring 8 Other information 26 • E Government • Contact details 27 Appendix 1 – Welsh speakers by Ward Census 2011 28 4 Introduction Monmouthshire County Council approved a new and updated Welsh Language Scheme on the 22nd November 2012. This Scheme has set out how the Council will provide its services to an equal standard in both the Welsh and English languages. This annual monitoring report reflects the work done during the financial year 2012-13, identifies progress against the Action plan and gives details of good practice and significant developments. Starting from a very low level of Welsh-language service provision, the Council continues to make significant advances in developing the scope and quality of its public information available through the medium of Welsh. Clear guidance and resources are now in place for staff in relation to translation, the provision of services and Welsh Language requirements. The Council has delivered on its long standing promise of developing a bilingual corporate website and are working in partnership with the Welsh speaking residents of Monmouthshire and asking them to do the following: • Using the Welsh version of the website when searching for Council information • Telling us when or where Welsh webpages are not up to date or any other issues • Taking a look at key strategic documents and responding to engagement correspondence to ensure that we are giving proper consideration to the Welsh Language in Monmouthshire. In developing a citizen -centred approach to the development of Welsh-medium services, the Council acknowledges that there may well be difficulties in recruiting Welsh Language speaking staff. It is hoped that the development of a Welsh Language Linguistic Skills Strategy that is robustly implemented will encourage Welsh speakers from both Monmouthshire and further afield to apply for “Welsh Essential” posts within the Council. 5 Evidence of the significant growth of the Language in Monmouthshire over the last twenty years is that at the time of Monmouthshire County Council’s first Welsh Language Scheme in 1998, the level of demand for Welsh-language services in the county was, by any estimation, extremely low (1991 census – only 2.3% of Monmouthshire’s population spoke Welsh). The census of 2001 revealed that a remarkable 9.3% of the county’s population could speak Welsh. The establishment of the two Welsh- medium primary schools, Ysgol y Ffin and Ysgol Gymraeg y Fenni, the incorporation of Welsh into the national curriculum and a growing interest among residents of all ages in learning the language were all reflected in this substantial increase in the number of Welsh speakers. The Census of 2011 has once more revealed a slight increase in the numbers of Welsh speakers living in Monmouthshire from 9.3% to 9.9% or 8,780 people (one of only 2 Welsh Councils to see an increase). The authority will have played a part in this due to the Welsh language service it provides at both school and adult learner level, which are both thriving at present within the County. Now the really hard work begins in trying to keep this increase in speakers going and we as a Council have a very important role in this aim Paul Matthews Chief Executive Councillor Peter Fox Leader of the Council Councillor Phylip Hobson Deputy Leader of the Council And Equality Champion 6 1. Welsh Language Scheme Compliance Monmouthshire County Council’s Welsh Language Scheme contains the following action plan of measures and target dates. As the original Welsh Language Scheme (2008-2011) had become out of date an action plan (below) was agreed with the Welsh Language Commissioner in April 2012. It was subsequently decided to revise the old Welsh Language Scheme to give us a completely up to date scheme. For the purposes of this monitoring report the Action plan has been re-designed with the addition of a column containing comments on the Council’s progress in implementing each measure in the first year of the action plan. Action Plan 2012 -2013 Service Planning and Delivery PARAGRAPH MEASURE YEAR ONE PROGRESS RESPONSIBILITY TARGET 4.1.1 Assess linguistic Audit sample of Welsh Language one of the Policy Officer Equality +Welsh consequences Equality Impact Protected characteristics considered Language/Authors of policies etc of new policies Assessments to carefully in the EQIA process. or initiatives measure Included in the “Initial Challenge” number of and EQIA Screening document. changes to Also one of the PC’s in any MCC Welsh language EQIA training policies. 4.1.2 Issue guidance Review EQIA policy reviewed and sessions Policy Officer E+WL to staff on guidance with Departmental Management assessing new available and Teams. Guidance revised, re-issued proposals re-publicise and re-publicised on The Point 7 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6 Ensure the Bi-annual audit Details included in contract Policy Officer E+WL/Procurement Council and any documents. Next year need to look Team relevant third at developing monitoring process parties conform and ensure that language with Scheme requirements are included where appropriate Dealing with the Welsh Speaking Public PARAGRAPH MEASURE YEAR ONE PROGRESS RESPONSIBILITY TARGET 5.1.1, 5.1.2 Welcome Quarterly audit All Welsh correspondence comes to Customer Access Manager/ Welsh correspondence of procedures Welsh Language Support Officer Language Support Officer/ Policy in Welsh + and Policy Officer E+WL for Officer E+WL English + reply translation. Also ensure that in language of responses translated in return choice 5.1.3 Ensure equal Quarterly audit All translations dealt with by the Customer Access Manager/ Welsh timescale for of procedures Welsh Language Support Officer/ Language Support Officer/ Policy replying to Policy Officer E+WL therefore Officer E+WL Welsh + English ensuring timescales are complied letters with. 5.1.4 Compile list of Develop Currently developing a database/ Policy Officer E+WL/Customer those wishing to database of Need to look at logistics of Access Manager/SRS IT receive language sharing this information across correspondence preferences in the Council in Welsh conjunction with all service areas 8 5.1.5 Issue revised Review, update and New Welsh Language Policy Officer E+WL/Customer guidance to staff re-publicise guidance Scheme containing precise Access Manager on as appropriate details sent to key staff and correspondence published on “The Point” in Welsh 5.1.6 Ensure circulars Audit of standard This are needs addressing All relevant divisional staff and standard letters, circulars and to ensure consistency letters to public agreement of across the Council are issued translations. bilingually 5.1.7 Ensure that any Quarterly audit of All Welsh correspondence Customer Access Manager/ Welsh correspondence procedures comes to Welsh Language Language Support Officer/ Policy in Welsh Support Officer and Policy Officer E+WL followed by Officer E+WL for translation. Welsh response Also ensure that responses translated in return 5.1.8 Ensure email Quarterly audit of All Welsh correspondence Customer Access Manager/ Welsh correspondence procedures comes to Welsh Language Language Support Officer/ Policy in Welsh is Support Officer and Policy Officer E+WL replied to in Officer E+WL for translation. Welsh Also ensure that responses translated in return 5.1.9 Develop Audit and review This area has not been Welsh Language Support Officer/ bilingual current procedures in addressed as yet Policy Officer E+WL/Service heads automated conjunction with correspondence service areas. Introduce some bilingual automated correspondence. 9 5.2.1 Answer Audit and review via This area has not been Customer Access Manager/Policy telephone calls ‘mystery shopper’ addressed as yet. Initial Officer E+WL/Menter Iaith BGTM bilingually exercise. conversation with Customer Access Manager has discussed this issue and will be addressed in the first year of this action plan 5.2.2 Provide Evaluation of current Telephone training and Corporate Training/Policy Officer telephone procedures awareness session included E+WL training and as a part of the Staff Welsh Induction Programme and awareness included in the new Welsh training to new Language Scheme members of staff 5.2.3 Issue guidance Review ‘Welsh Will update and re- Policy Officer E+WL/ Customer to existing staff Language Scheme - publicise when full list of Access Manager on telephone Guidelines for Staff’ third party Welsh speakers calls in Welsh and re-publicise. complied. Details in the new Welsh Language Scheme and covered in staff Induction programme 5.2.4 Provide bilingual Audit and review This area has not been Supervisor Reception/Customer corporate current processes. addressed as yet. Access manager/Policy Officer E+WL answer-phone Introduce bilingual messages corporate answer phone messages.