[lg policy] UK: Welsh language 'unessential' for Gwynedd housing jobs

[Harold Schiffman]

 Welsh language 'unessential' for Gwynedd housing jobs

   -  15:11, 18 March 2015 <http://www.dailypost.co.uk/by-date/18-03-2015>
   - By Hywel Trewyn <http://www.dailypost.co.uk/authors/hywel-trewyn/>

 Some critics fear the move could 'weaken' the Welsh language

    [image: CCG chief executive Ffrancon Williams]
CCG chief executive Ffrancon Williams triggered controversy over the move

A housing group has taken on two new directors - earning £82,000 a year
each - after dropping the Welsh language as an essential skill.

Cartrefi Cymunedol Gwynedd’s (CCG) controversial decision sparked months of
protests, including one at Caernarfon
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-councillors-criticise-housing-group-8550821>
in January attended by 250 people.

The two new bosses will start work in June.

CCG decided to employ the two men without them having to speak Welsh as the
language was not deemed essential for the jobs to be performed.

The matter prompted calls for housing chiefs
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/gwynedd-housing-group-urged-provide-8390223>
to give assurances over its language policy.

Chief executive Ffrancon Williams who defended the CCG’s board’s decision
said: “We have appointed two new directors following our recent recruitment
process.

“CCG’s new resources director is Paul McGrady and the director of assets
and infrastructure is Ian Atkinson.

“Previously Paul was head of finance at Denbighshire Council
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/denbighshire-council>and is a Welsh
learner, and Ian was director of assets at Monmouthshire Housing.

“We look forward to welcoming them both to CCG.”

While Mr McGrady, aged 47, is learning Welsh, Mr Atkinson, 50, was said
“not to be a learner at present.”

It is not clear whether or not CCG will stray from its policy again with
future appointments.

Gwynedd Cllr Sian Gwenllian
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/cllr-sian-gwenllian-quits-housing-8291597>,
from Y Felinheli, resigned from CCG’s board following the decision to
downgrade its language job requirements.

Today she said: “I hope that the two will receive every encouragement and
support to speak Welsh so that the internal language of administration does
not change because of them.

“That is why there was so much opposition - the possibility that it could
weaken the Welsh language.”

The council was responsible for the housing stock before they transferred
to CCG.

Last January members of Gwynedd council’s language committee voted
unanimously that CCG - landlord to 6,300 homes - had gone against its own
language policy which had lead to a reduction rather a promotion of the use
of Welsh by the company and its workforce.

The committee backed a proposal by Cllr Gwenllian that CCG’s decision could
“open the door” for other bodies to follow the same path.

Councillors also asked for a meeting with CCG’s board of directors to
discuss its decision.

They asked for a report to be prepared by its next meeting to look at the
“lessons to be learned” so that similar problems can be avoided in the
future.

Welsh Language Commisioner Meri Huws said CCG had not given sufficient
reason for its decision not to make Welsh a condition of employment.

CCG previously said that “the decision to remove the language requirement
for these two posts was a very difficult one for the board but one that was
based on a set of circumstances and experience which included our
difficulty in recruiting to senior management and technical posts in the
past.”
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/welsh-language-unessential-gwynedd-housing-8868466


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