WELSH LANGUAGE SCHEME

STATEMENT

This scheme has been prepared under the Welsh Language Act 1993 and received the approval of the Welsh Language Board under section 14(1) of the Act on 17 July 1998.

CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION
2. SERVICE PLANNING
3. DELIVERY OF SERVICES AND STANDARDS OF QUALITY
4. DEALING WITH THE WELSH SPEAKING PUBLIC
   • Correspondence
   • Telephone Calls
   • Public Meetings
   • Other Meetings with the Public
5. THE PUBLIC FACE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR WALES
   • Corporate Identity
   • Publications'
   • Public Notices
   • Media Notices
   • Public Surveys
6. IMPLEMENTING AND MONITORING THE SCHEME
   • Staffing
   • Recruitment Advertising
   • Recruitment
   • Language Training
   • Administrative Arrangements to Facilitate the Scheme
   • Services Delivered on behalf of the Commission by Other Parties
   • Monitoring
   • Publicity for the Commission's Welsh Language Services
7. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS/COMPLAINTS

ANNEX A - TIMETABLE AND TARGETS

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Prepared pursuant to Section 12 of the Welsh Language Act 1993

1. INTRODUCTION

We, the Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales (the Commission) are a public body established in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 (the 1972 Act). The Commission's statutory functions are set out in sections 53 to 78 of the 1972 Act as amended by the Local Government (Wales) Act 1994 (the 1994 Act). Our main task may be summarised as follows:

to review local government areas and electoral arrangements in Wales, with a view to considering whether or not to make proposals to the Secretary of State for Wales for effecting changes which appear to the Commission to be desirable in the interests of effective and convenient local government.

At present the Commission consists of a chairman, a deputy chairman and a member, all appointed by the Secretary of State. The 1972 Act provides that at least one of the members of the Commission must be able to speak Welsh and this requirement is met. We currently have a support staff of ten based at the Commission's offices in Cardiff.

We have adopted as a principle that in the conduct of public business in Wales, we will treat the Welsh and English languages on a basis of equality. This scheme sets out how the Commission will give effect to that principle when providing services to the public in Wales. It has been approved by us and has our full support.

2. SERVICE PLANNING

The Commission prepares an Annual Operational Plan, which sets out, within the statutory context, a programme of work, annual targets, performance indicators, standards and resources for each year. In planning the provision of services we are committed to:

• Maintaining those measures which promote and facilitate the principle of equality of use of the Welsh language in accordance with this scheme.
• Extending the principle to any new policy, activity or purchase, and ensuring that additional measures are developed which are consistent with this scheme.
• Obtaining the Welsh Language Board's agreement to any changes in the scheme.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of implementation of the measures set out in this scheme.

3. DELIVERY OF SERVICES AND STANDARDS OF QUALITY

Our main duty is to advise the Secretary of State on matters which affect county and community councils throughout Wales. We therefore consult, and have an obligation to take account of the views of, those authorities as well as other interested bodies and individuals. Extensive publicity is undertaken to ensure that our review work and consequent proposals are widely known. The nature of our work means that there is an emphasis on written reports and letters. We welcome responses to our consultation processes in the Welsh language.

To give effect to our Welsh language policy all initial letters, publications and publicity are bilingual. Desk instructions, standard templates and script compatible IT software are in use and we have a contract for the provision of a comprehensive translation service.

We have taken steps to provide an equal service in both languages. These steps are expressed as measures in the following sections. In two respects: in answering telephone calls and in dealing with visitors without appointment, the ability to respond in Welsh varies from time to time according to the linguistic skills of the staff employed at that time. The measures taken to address these circumstances are set out in the relevant sections dealing with communications and recruitment

Performance standards including those arising from the Citizens' Charter are the same for both languages.

4. DEALING WITH THE WELSH SPEAKING PUBLIC

Correspondence

We begin each review by writing to the relevant county council, community councils, Members of Parliament and other interested bodies. These addressees are again written to when draft and final proposals are published.

Measures:

• Initial and covering letters to the public in Wales will be bilingual, as will other letters sent to those whose preferred language choice is unknown.
• Our letter templates are prepared in both languages.

The Commission welcomes the many representations and other letters that are received in Welsh.

Measures:

• If you write to us in Welsh we will reply in Welsh.
• Our target time for replying to letters in Welsh is exactly the same as for replying to letters in English.
• When we write a letter to an individual, a group or an organisation who we know works mainly in Welsh or prefers to receive letters in Welsh, we will write in Welsh.
• Following a face-to-face meeting or telephone conversation in Welsh, any follow-up correspondence will be in Welsh, unless requested otherwise.
• To enable these measures to be implemented, the links to our translation service are by telephone, fax and E-mail. We keep a database of those wishing to deal with us in Welsh.

Telephone Calls

Telephone enquiries in Welsh are welcome. The availability of staff able to speak Welsh varies from time to time with staff turnover but we will always try to find someone who speaks Welsh to answer your query.

Measures:

• If you ring the Commission and wish to speak Welsh, but the person taking the call cannot speak Welsh, you will be transferred to a Welsh-speaking member of staff if available. If no Welsh speaker able to deal with your enquiry is available, you will be given the choice of a Welsh speaker, who may be our external interpreter, phoning you back, or continuing the call in English.
• There may be times, however, when there is no one available who can answer your query in full - especially if it is specialised. (The same problem can arise with telephone queries in English.) In these cases someone will ask you for details of your query, or they may advise you to send your query to us in writing. You will then receive a reply in Welsh by post.
• We have a bilingual message-answering machine.

Public Meetings

We periodically organise public meetings throughout Wales and welcome people using Welsh.

Measures:

• We will publicise meetings bilingually, making clear our language policy.
• We will ensure that a Welsh-speaking member of the Commission or the Secretariat attends public meetings.
• We will provide simultaneous interpretation as a matter of course at public meetings.

Other Meetings with the Public

As well as public meetings, there are occasions when other meetings with individuals and organisations are held.

Measures:

• When we organise a meeting in advance with an individual or organisation we will ask which is their preferred language. If they prefer to use Welsh, we will hold the meeting in Welsh if possible or offer to provide interpretation.
• Visitors without an appointment who wish to use Welsh will be offered the service of our external translator by telephone if a Welsh speaking member of staff is not available.

5. THE PUBLIC FACE OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION FOR WALES

Corporate Identity

The Commission has a bilingual identity and we have adopted measures to reinforce this.

Measures:

• The Commission's name, address and associated information is bilingual on our office signs, publication covers and all other forms of public display.
• Printed information on the Commission's letter headings, compliment slips, fax covering sheets, staff business cards and other corporate stationery all follows the same bilingual format.
• Both languages are shown with equal prominence.

Publications

For each review we publish draft and final reports of proposals for public consultation. We also produce guidance notes and other publications from time to time.

Measures:

• We will produce all publications in Welsh and English.
• When considering the names of electoral divisions, names will be assigned to them in both languages where there are Welsh and English versions.
• The Welsh and English versions will normally be together in a single bilingual publication and will be of the same quality, format and prominence.
• If separate Welsh and English versions are issued, they will be available simultaneously and equally accessible.

Public Notices

Newspaper advertisements are used to publicise the initial, draft and final stages of reviews.

Measures:

• Public notices in newspapers in Wales will be bilingual. (Sometimes, in mainly Welsh-speaking areas, it will be more practicable to place the notice in Welsh in a Welsh-language newspaper).
• Both languages will be afforded equality in terms of format size and prominence.

Media Notices

We issue notices to press, radio and television editors informing them of draft and final proposals.

Measure:

• We prepare bilingual media notices. These notices are normally in one document. However, long notices may be prepared separately in English and Welsh and issued together.

Public Surveys

It is occasionally necessary to conduct public surveys, for example to gather statistical information or to seek public opinion. An external organisation might be contracted to do this work.

Measure:

• We will conduct public surveys in Wales in both Welsh and English.

6. IMPLEMENTING AND MONITORING THE SCHEME

Staffing

The goal of the Commission is to have enough appropriately skilled Welsh-speaking staff to enable a full service to be delivered through the medium of Welsh. Our strategy towards the attainment of the goal includes a review of team and post specifications taking opportunities to attract Welsh-speakers during recruitment and training.

Measure:

• We shall examine posts to consider whether it would be essential or desirable to have Welsh speakers, and specify this in the job descriptions.

Recruitment Advertising

Most staff are seconded from the Welsh Office or other Government Departments and vacancies are publicised by internal bulletins. External newspaper advertisements are used to recruit the directly employed staff such as the Secretary and the Cartographer.

Measures:

• Staff recruitment by newspaper advertisement will be bilingual.
• Our language policy will be stated and the linguistic skills expected of the post holder will be specified in all recruitment information.

Recruitment

The assessment of candidates' abilities is undertaken by using objective criteria to ensure appointments are made in each case on a fair and consistent basis.

Measures:

• Linguistic ability will be one of a number of skills to be borne in mind when appointing staff and will be assessed against the previously identified level of skills needed for the post.

Language Training

Language training plays an important part in increasing the number of staff able to work in Welsh.

Measures:

• We encourage and in certain circumstances may require staff to take up suitable language training. We will consider financial support in appropriate cases.
• We will assess the need for specific vocational training through the medium of Welsh.

Administrative Arrangements to Facilitate the Scheme

The measures set out in this scheme are designed to give effect to the Commission's Welsh language policy. We have adopted the following additional administrative measures to support the implementation of the scheme as an integral part of our work.

Measures:

• The Secretary and the team leaders have been given specific responsibility to ensure consistent implementation of the scheme.
• All members of staff have received detailed written guidance in the form of desk instructions which include the use of Welsh in the work of the Commission, and have been given copies of this scheme.
• We will ensure that the specification of new or replacement IT systems meets the needs of this scheme.
• Tenders for translation services will continue to be assessed for capability and quality of service as well as price.

Services Delivered on behalf of the Commission by Other Parties

We recognise that the same standards should apply when work is done on our behalf as when it is done by our own staff.

Measures:

• Any agreements or arrangements made with third parties which relate to the provision of services to the public in Wales will be consistent with the terms of the scheme.
• The Commission will provide through contracting arrangements that the contractor implement any relevant elements of the scheme when dealing with the public.
• The Commission will specify the requirements as to the use of Welsh in tender documents and contracts.

Monitoring

We shall be monitoring how well we are meeting our commitment to the principle of giving equality of treatment to the Welsh language through this scheme.

Measures:

• Each year the Secretary will prepare a report for the Commission showing performance in meeting the implementation of the specific measures we have adopted in respect of:
  • The Annual Operational Plan
  • Delivering services
  • Dealing with the Welsh-speaking public
  • Corporate identity
  • Staff recruitment and training
  • Services delivered by others
  • The timetable for implementation
  • Suggestions and complaints
• Performance will be assessed against targets in the timetable annexed to this scheme, supplemented by records of quantifiable items. The report will give reasons for any targets missed and indicate proposed remedial steps.
• The report will be supplied to the Welsh Language Board. The report will be available free of charge to the public.
• We will include a summary of the report in the Commission's Annual Report. The Annual Report is submitted to the Secretary of State for Wales, laid before Parliament, circulated to Members of Parliament, local authorities and other bodies and is publicised by means of a press notice.

Publicity for the Commission's Welsh Language Services

In accordance with the Board's guidelines, this scheme has been advertised in the press and circulated widely. However we want the public to continue to be aware of the ways in which they can choose to communicate with us.

Measures:

• We will publicise our measures for serving the Welsh-speaking public in our Annual Report.
• All publications and publicity associated with the Commission's reviews - our main contact with the public - will make it clear that the public can deal with the Commission in Welsh.

7. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENTS/COMPLAINTS

We welcome suggestions for improvements to our measures for dealing with the Welsh speaking-public. If we do fall short of the commitments we have made in this scheme, we hope that members of the public will tell us. Should you have a suggestion for an improvement or a complaint about the Commission's services in Welsh please write to:

The Secretary

Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales

Caradog House

1-6 St Andrews Place

CARDIFF

CF1 3BE

See also Contacting the Commission.

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Annex A

TIMETABLE AND TARGETS

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