Agenda item

Linguistic Planning for Powys

We must get the coverage and connectivity in Rural Wales it needs to support our economy and our communities in the 21st Century.

This Council therefore, calls on the Welsh Government to take immediate action on putting planning reforms in place to enable improved mobile connectivity coverage as the basis of a modern, vibrant economy. This to include allowing masts in Wales to be 25m (82ft) height rather than the 15m (50ft) as at present thus assisting the development of an entrepreneurial economy in Powys and Rural Wales.

 

Proposer: County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan

 

Seconder: County Councillor Bryn Davies

 

Minutes:

Council debated the following notice of motion proposed by County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan and seconded by County Councillor Bryn Davies:

 

As the WelshGovernment developsa visionof aMillion Welshspeakers by2050 with thepolicy enjoyingthe supportof oppositionparties inCardiff Baywe inPowys need toconsider howwe cancontribute tothis. Powyswill needto aimto increase thepercentage ofWelsh speakersfrom 19%from the2011 Censusto 33%- a challenge.

 

It meanswe needto lookat thesituation inits entirety,to understandthe challenges, tobe progressiveand acton anumber oflevels, andto be ambitiousin our vision.

 

There isan opportunityfor Powysto leadand beprogressive byconsidering the Welshlanguage akey partof thisold County’sheritage, butalso asa socialand economic resourcefor thefuture. Ifwe harnessand implementthis toolkit,we believe Powyswould contributepositively towardsthe sustainabilityof theWelsh language, andtowards theWelsh Government’svision.

 

The Council therefore:

1.     Recognises clearly theimportance ofthe Welshlanguage asan integralpart of thehistorical heritageof Powys

2.     Confirms thatthe languagebelongs toevery partof the County

3.     Believes thelanguage tobe amatter ofsustainability whichintertwines with

4.     community, economic andsocial sustainabilityprinciples

5.     Believes thelanguage isa skilland akey resourcefor future citizens

6.     Is concernedat thereduction ofWelsh speakersseen inthe Censusof 2011 andaccepts theneed forcomprehensive actionto resistthis trend

7.     Thereby callson theCouncil todraw upa strategicplan whichwill reflect theseprinciples andwhich isconsistent withthe WelshLanguage Actof 2011 andthe WelshLanguage Standards,will setclear actionpoints sothat Powys cancontribute tothe aimof ensuring a million Welsh speakers.

 

The mover and seconder argued that the Council had to take action to arrest the decline of the Welsh language in its heartlands and extend its use throughout the county. The Portfolio Holder for Learning and the Welsh Language welcomed the motion and noted that much work was already taking place with the Welsh Language in Education Strategic Plan and the Welsh Language promotion strategy. By 51 votes to 1 it was

 

RESOLVED to

1.     Recogniseclearly theimportance ofthe Welshlanguage asan integralpart of thehistorical heritageof Powys

2.     Confirmthat thelanguage belongsto everypart ofthe County

3.     Believethe languageto bea matterof sustainabilitywhich intertwineswith community, economicand socialsustainability principles

4.     Believethe languageis askill anda keyresource forfuture citizens

5.     Isconcerned atthe reductionof Welshspeakers seenin theCensus of2011 and acceptsthe needfor comprehensiveaction toresist thistrend

6.     Therebycalls onthe Councilto drawup astrategic planwhich willreflect these principlesand whichis consistentwith theWelsh LanguageAct of2011 and theWelsh LanguageStandards, willset clearaction pointsso thatPowys can contributeto theaim ofensuring a million Welsh speakers.