County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan |
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Subject: |
Urdd |
Question To: |
County Councillor Myfanwy Alexander Portfolio Holder for Welsh Language |
Question:
Urdd Gobaith Cymru, commonly know as Urdd; have recently undertaken a internal review. At present it provides a valuable service to young people throughout Powys with a office at Newtown and a team of staff and a further development officer for South Powys. However, as a result of the review it seems the current staff serving Montgomeryshire will be relocated to Denbigh, and the South Powys officer area merged with Neath/Port Talbot. I view this as a retrograde step and will not be a practical model of delivery for the young people of Powys. It would be much better if the Urdd reconsidered the proposal and established a central office base to serve Mid Wales located in Powys.
In view of the concerns about this development, will the portfolio holder join with me in highlighting to the Urdd our concerns and ask them to reconsider the current proposal and to work with the Council to look at innovative solutions based within Powys.
Minutes:
Ymateb yr Aelod Portffolio / Response by the Portfolio Holder:
Ymateb Cymraeg |
English Response
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Mae’r Urdd yn fudiad pwysig iawn yma i ni ym Mhowys. Fel arfer ar yr adeg yma o’r flwyddyn, bydd y sir yn ferw o weithgaredd yn paratoi at yr Eisteddfodau Cylch a Sir o Lanfyllin i Ystradgynlais, gyda’r aelodau yn cystadlu mewn cystadlaethau llwyfan, dawns, celf a chrefft a nifer o bethau eraill er mwyn cyrraedd yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn ystod wythnos y Sulgwyn.
Cafodd yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yr Urdd ei chynnal ym Mrycheiniog a Maesyfed yn 2018, arweiniodd at gynnydd mawr yng ngweithgaredd yr Urdd yn yr ardal honno. Arweiniodd hynny, ynghyd â phenodi Swyddog Datblygu llawn amser yn yr ardal, at gynnydd o 50% yn aelodaeth yr Urdd (o 795 i 1198 o aelodau) a thair gwaith y nifer o blant yn cymryd rhan yn y gweithgareddau chwaraeon, gan gynyddu o 368 yn 2015/16 i 1121 yn 2018/19. Mae hyn yn dangos gwerth a phwysigrwydd presenoldeb yn lleol.
Mae cynlluniau i ddod â’r Eisteddfod Genedlaethol yn ôl i Sir Drefadwyn yn y blynyddoedd nesaf hefyd, ac mae disgwyl bwrlwm o weithgareddau wrth i ni baratoi at hynny, a llawer o ddiddordeb ychwanegol yng ngweithgareddau’r mudiad yn sgil hynny.
Rhaid cofio hefyd fod llawer mwy i weithgareddau’r Urdd na dim ond yr Eisteddfod, gyda chystadlaethau chwaraeon, clybiau ac aelwydydd yr Urdd yn yr ysgolion ac yn y gymuned, yr ymweliadau â gwersylloedd yr Urdd yn Llangrannog, Glan-llyn a Chaerdydd, a theithiau tramor yr Urdd i leoedd fel Disneyland Paris. Mae’r Cyngor wedi cyfrannu’n hael tuag at y gweithgareddau hyn dros y blynyddoedd, ac wedi bod yn cyd-weithio gyda’r Urdd i gefnogi’r gweithgareddau pwysig hyn.
Mae’n bryder mawr i ni felly fod yr Urdd yn bwriadu cau eu swyddfa yn Y Drenewydd ar adeg mor dyngedfennol, fydd yn golygu nad oes swyddfa yn y canolbarth o gwbl – dim byd rhwng Dinbych a Gwent, na rhwng Glan-llyn a Llangrannog. Mae hon yn ardal enfawr o Gymru, ac yn ardal sydd angen cefnogaeth mudiadau fel yr Urdd i sicrhau fod gweithgareddau cyfrwng Cymraeg yn cael eu cynnal.
Bydd disgwyl i staff sy’n gyfrifol am Bowys deithio o Ddinbych i gefnogi gweithgareddau ym Maldwyn, neu o ardal Castell-nedd Port Talbot i weithgareddau mor bell i’r gogledd â Rhaeadr a Thref-y-clawdd, gan olygu y byddant yn eu ceir yn teithio ar hyd strydoedd y sir yn hytrach nag yn cefnogi’r gweithgareddau pwysig hyn, a chael cyswllt gyda phobl ifanc y sir. A bydd yn anodd iawn iddynt allu cynnal lefel y gwasanaeth y mae eu haelodau ym Mhowys yn ei haeddu, a’r un lefel a fydd yn cael ei gynnal mewn rhannau eraill o Gymru.
Gall hyn gael effaith sylweddol ar y gweithgareddau ac i’r gefnogaeth i’r Urdd yn y sir.
Rwy’n cytuno â’r aelod fod hyn yn bryder mawr, ac yn galw ar yr Urdd i ail-ystyried y cynnig, fel bod darpariaeth deg a chyfartal ar gael yng nghanolbarth Cymru, ac yn gofyn iddynt ddod i drafod gyda ni i edrych ar sut i gynnal y ddarpariaeth bwysig hon yma ym Mhowys. |
The Urdd is a very important organisation for us here in Powys. Usually at this time of year, the county is a hive of activity preparing for the local and county Eisteddfods from Llanfyllin to Ystradgynlais, with members competing in stage competitions, dance, arts and crafts and a number of other things, all aiming to reach the national Eisteddfod during Whitsun week.
The Urdd National Eisteddfod was held in Brecon and Radnorshire in 2018, which led to a major increase in Urdd activities in the area. The Eisteddfod, along with the appointment of a full time Development Worker for south Powys, lead to a 50% increase in Urdd membership (from 795 to 1198 members) and three times as many children taking part in the sports competitions, rising from 368 in 2015/16 to 1121 in 2018/19. This clearly shows the value and importance of the Urdd’s presence locally.
There are plans to bring the national Eisteddfod back to Montgomeryshire in the next few years as well, with many, many activities expected as we prepare for its visit, and we will have much additional interest in the organisation's activities as a result.
We must also remember that the Urdd's activities go far beyond just the Eisteddfod, with sports competitions, Urdd clubs and groups in schools and within the community, visits to the Urdd camps in Llangrannog, Glan-llyn and Cardiff, and the Urdd’s international trips to places such as Disneyland Paris. The Council has contributed generously towards these activities over the years, and has worked with the Urdd to support these important activities.
It is therefore of great concern to us that the Urdd intend to close their Newtown office at such a critical time, which will mean that there is no longer an office in mid Wales – nothing between Denbigh and Gwent, nor between Glan-llyn and Llangrannog. This is a vast area of Wales, and an area which needs the support of organisations such as the Urdd to ensure that Welsh-medium activities take place.
Staff covering Powys will be travelling from either from Denbigh to support activities in Montgomeryshire, or from the Neath Port Talbot area to cover activities as far north as Rhayader and Knighton, meaning they will be in their cars travelling along the county’s roads rather than supporting these important activities, and having contact with the county's young people. And it will be very difficult for them to maintain the level of service that their members in Powys deserve, and the level that will be maintained in other parts of Wales.
This could have a significant impact on the activities and on the support for the Urdd within the county.
I agree with the member that this is a major concern, and call on the Urdd to review their proposal, to ensure a fair and equitable provision is available in mid Wales, and I urge them to talk to us to look at how to maintain this important provision here in Powys. |