The Welsh Language Tribunal recently ruled on how the Welsh language should be considered as part of public consultations in Wales. Those bodies and organisations covered by the Welsh Language Standards need to look again at the way they assess the impact of any policy change on the Welsh Language and create a stand-alone Welsh Language Impact Assessment as part of the consultation documents.   

The purpose of the Tribunal is to hear appeals against decision made by the Welsh Language Commissioner. A Local Authority in South Wales disagreed with the Commissioner about their attempts to consider, as part of the consultation, the full impact on the language on their plans for a new English medium school. The KC used by the Welsh Language Commissioner at the Welsh Language Tribunal hearing was Gwion Lewis.  

Last month, Team tCI and its Associates were delighted to receive a briefing from Gwion on the implications of the Welsh Language Tribunal’s decision on public consultation. Gwion, described as a “fearless litigator”, is a leading barrister in the areas of planning, environmental, and public law, and took silk after only 16 years in practice.  

During the session, Gwion shared his top tips for assessing the impact on the Welsh Language when consulting on policy changes. He advises a standalone Welsh Language Impact Assessment which covers direct and indirect effects. And for these direct and indirect effects, you need to identify at least three positive and three negative effects. You also need to include questions about the impact on the language in your consultation questionnaire. 

The Consultation Institute is committed to continuously developing our knowledge to ensure we are consistently supporting our clients and members to best practice standards. The briefing from Gwion is an excellent example of this commitment.  

We are now developing a training module on the Welsh Language Standards and an Advice and Guidance package. Our lead Associate on this will be our bilingual Associate based in Wales Bethan Williams Price. She can run the training sessions in either English or Welsh, online or face to face. To register your interest in this course, please get in touch stating your preferred language of delivery.  

Dyfarnodd Tribiwnlys y Gymraeg yn ddiweddar sut y dylid ystyried y Gymraeg fel rhan o ymgynghoriadau cyhoeddus yng Nghymru. Mae angen i’r cyrff a’r sefydliadau hynny sy’n dod o dan Safonau’r Gymraeg ailedrych ar y ffordd y maent yn asesu effaith unrhyw newid polisi ar y Gymraeg a chreu Asesiad Effaith arwahân ar gyfer yr iaith Gymraeg fel rhan o’r dogfennau ymgynghori.

Rôl y Tribiwnlys yw gwrando ar apeliadau yn erbyn penderfyniadau Comisiynydd y Gymraeg. Roedd Awdurdod Lleol yn ne Cymru wedi anghytuno gyda’r Comisiynydd am eu hymdrechion i ystyried yr effaith lawn ar yr iaith wrth ymgynghori ar eu cynlluniau ar gyfer ysgol cyfrwng Saesneg newydd. Y KC a ddefnyddiwyd gan Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg yng ngwrandawiad Tribiwnlys y Gymraeg oedd Gwion Lewis.

Fis diwethaf, croesawodd Tîm tCI a’u Hymgynghorwyr Cysylltiol Gwion Lewis i drafod oblygiadau penderfyniad Tribiwnlys y Gymraeg ar y broses ymgynghori. Mae Gwion yn fargyfreithiwr blaenllaw ym meysydd cynllunio, amgylcheddol a chyfraith gyhoeddus, ac fe ddaeth yn KC wedi dim ond 16 mlynedd fel bargyfreithiwr.

Yn ystod y sesiwn, rhannodd Gwion ei gyngor ar asesu’r effaith ar y Gymraeg wrth ymgynghori ar newidiadau polisi. Ei gyngor ydi fod angen i gyrff bellach gre Asesiad Effaith Iaith Gymraeg penodol sy’n cynnwys effeithiau uniongyrchol ac anuniongyrchol ar yr iaith. Ac ar gyfer yr effeithiau uniongyrchol ac anuniongyrchol hynny mae angen  nodi o leiaf dair effaith gadarnhaol a thair effaith negyddol. Mae angen i chi hefyd gynnwys cwestiynau am yr effaith ar yr iaith yn eich holiadur ymgynghori.

Mae’r Consultation Institute wedi ymrwymo i ddatblygu ein gwybodaeth yn barhaus i sicrhau ein bod yn cefnogi ein cleientiaid a’n haelodau yn gyson i safonau arfer gorau. Mae’r sesiwn friffio gan Gwion yn enghraifft wych o’r ymrwymiad hwn.

Mae tCI rwân yn datblygu modiwl hyfforddi ar Safonau’r Gymraeg a phecyn Cyngor ac Arweiniad. Ein Hymgynghorydd arweiniol ar hyn fydd Bethan Williams Price. Mae modd cynnal y sesiynau hyfforddi yn y Gymraeg neu’r Saesneg – arlein neu wyneb yn wyneb. I gofrestru eich diddordeb yn y cwrs hwn, cysylltwch â ni gan nodi eich dewis iaith.