Mark Drakeford, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language
In August 2022, a Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities was established in order to better understand the status of the Welsh language as well as the challenges it faces as a community language.
The Commission’s first phase looked at the situation of the language in areas with a higher density of Welsh speakers. The Commission presented their final report Empowering communities, strengthening the Welsh language in August 2024. At that time, the Commission noted its intention to publish a report specifically on town and country planning. This was to ensure that this important subject area could be considered on a national basis as well looking specifically at areas of higher density linguistic significance.
In August 2024, the second phase of the Commission was launched and is looking at the status of the Welsh language within other areas of Wales and beyond.
The Commission’s latest report on the Welsh Language and Town and Country Planning has been published today. Whilst the report is a stand alone document, it should be read alongside the Empowering Communities, strengthening the Welsh language report as well as Phase 2 of the Commission’s work due to report early next year.
I would like to thank the members of the Commission for presenting this further report. As Dr Simon Brooks, the Chair of the Commission, has pointed out, a number of contributors have given their time and expertise to its content, and I too would like to thank them for their work. We’ll consider the report's findings and recommendations over the coming months.
We’re currently working on our response to the recommendations of the Empowering communities, strengthening the Welsh language report and I expect to publish our response at the Urdd Eisteddfod at Parc Margam in May.