Written Statement: Appointment of Members to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Advisory Panel

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Rona Aldrich, Elin Maher and Gwyn Williams as Members of the Welsh Language Commissioner’s Advisory Panel.  They will take up post on 1 April 2021 for a three year term.

Originally from Anglesey, Rona Aldrich has lived in the Vale of Clwyd for 40 years. With a Masters degree in Librarianship and Information Studies from Aberystwyth University, her aim during her career was to ensure easy access to information and culture of all kinds for everyone in society. Prior to retiring she was Chief Officer with Conwy County Council. After a period of self-employment, she now sits on the Welsh Committee of the National Lottery Community Fund and is Vice-chair of the Welsh Books Council. Over the years, she has held a number of jobs locally and nationally including for the Welsh Government and has represented Wales at a UK level.

Elin Maher has been a freelance language and education consultant for a number of years. She has worked in education and community development and language planning throughout her career, with the Welsh language and bilingualism at the heart of her work. Starting as a secondary language teacher, Elin worked in the primary sector both as a classroom teacher and as an advisory teacher. She has also worked in further and higher education supervising education students. Elin has worked for Rhieni Dros Addysg Gymraeg (Parents for Welsh Medium Education), Menter Iaith Casnewydd, and Torfaen Borough Council. Originally from the Swansea Valley, she has lived in Newport with her family for twenty years. She continues to work to develop the Welsh language and Welsh medium education within her community in Gwent and beyond through her work as an experienced school governor and board member of a number of local and national charities.

Born in Pwllheli and educated in Wolverhampton, Bethesda, Aberystwyth and Preston, Gwyn Williams has spent over 25 years working in the media. He worked for the Welsh Language Commissioner as Director of Promotion, Communication and Administration and joined S4C as Director of Communications in 2015. He is a non-executive board member of Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and lives in Bethel near Caernarfon.

Aled Roberts, Welsh Language Commissioner, said:

"I would like to welcome Rona, Elin and Gwyn to the Advisory Panel, I look forward to working with them. All three have expertise across a number of areas relating to the Welsh language, and I am sure that they will be able to offer varied and constructive views to the discussions of the Advisory Panel, which will benefit me to lead my decisions as Commissioner."

These appointments will replace three Members, Meinir Davies, Heledd Iago and Nick Speed, whose term of office come to an end.  I would like to thank the three for their contributions to the Advisory Panel’s work.

The Commissioner also thanked the three for their work on the panel:

"I am extremely grateful to Meinir, Heledd and Nick for their advice over the last six years. The richness of their contributions has informed many policies in my work as Welsh Language Commissioner. I would like to wish them well in the future. “ 

The Welsh Language (Wales) Measure 2011, which established the Advisory Panel specifies that the Welsh Minister must ensure that, as far as it practicable, there are at least three, but no more than five, members of the advisory panel at any time.  Rona, Elin and Gwyn will join the existing Members, Anne Davies and Nia Elias on the panel.

I am confident that the Commissioner and the panel members have the combined knowledge and experience of the matters set out in The Advisory Panel to the Welsh Language Commissioner (Appointment) Regulations 2012, namely knowledge and experience of the following matters:

• corporate governance,
• exercising functions conferred by or under an enactment,
• promoting and facilitating the use of Welsh or another language,
• public relations,
• regulatory regimes,
• working in partnership with organisations in the public, private or voluntary sectors.

These appointments are renumerated.