Picketing a Council Meeting to save a Welsh Village School

Members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith will be picketing councillors on their way in to a vital meeting of Ceredigion Council (9am tomorrow Tues 30/6 Aberaeron) which will reconsider the decision to publich a Statutory Closure Notice for Ysgol Syr John Rhys, Ponterwyd.

In a message to the councillors, Cymdeithas say that the process which led to the decision to close the school was so hurried and flawed that the Education Minister would be certain to overturn the decision on appeal. Cymdeithas therefore argue that it is better for councillors to instruct their officials to re-engage with parents and the local community to seek a consensus as to the way forward.

Cymdeithas angry at the delay over language issue

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has expressed its disappointment that a key meeting to discuss the Language LCO has been postponed. Peter Hain had announced that the Welsh Grand Committee would meet on July 8th to discuss the Assembly's request to devolve the power to legislate on the Welsh language to Wales, even though such a meeting isn't necessary. Yesterday it was announced that this meeting will be postponed because the Welsh Affairs Committee wants Welsh MP's to have more time to consider their report (as yet unpublished) before they meet.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith is worried that the Welsh Affairs Committee is trying to stall the process, and that the Welsh Office is placing more obstacles in the way of the LCO, to ensure that it doesn't reach the Statute Book before the General Election. If the LCO does not reach the Statute Book before the General Election, the present plans will fall, and the scrutinising process at Westminster will have to begin all over again. This would, in Cymdeithas' view, be totally unacceptable and clearly shows the flaws in the present system.

Bethan Williams, Chair of Cymdeithas' Language Act Campaign Group says:

"We were already concerned that the Welsh Affairs Committee would drag its heels on this matter, and that those who oppose the request would try to postpone the process until after the General Election, which would mean the scrutinising process having to start all over again at Westminster. Peter Hain's decision to insist that the matter is discussed at the Welsh Grand Committee, and then the fact that the meeting has been postponed confirms that concern. Cymdeithas yr Iaith, together with a number of other movements, has presented irrefutable evidence to the Committee at the Assembly and at Westminster of the need to devolve all powers over the Welsh language to Wales, but the Welsh Affairs Committee and the Wales Office are still trying to stall the process."

Cymdeithas welcomes report on Welsh Language College and presents a challenge to the overnment

On the day Professor Robin Williams' recommendations to the Education Minister were published re the Government's policy on the establishment of a Welsh medium Federal college, Cymdeithas yr Iaith has welcomed some of the strong recommendations of the report and is now calling on the Government to establish a robust multi-site College with a substantial budget.

Rhys Llwyd, Cymdeithas' spokesperson on a Welsh medium Federal College, said:

"We are extremely happy that Robin Williams' report has recommended that a new independent establishment be created to develop Welsh-medium education in the higher education sector. Both Cymdeithas and Students' Unions have argued this for years now and are glad that Professor Robin Williams has come to realise that this is the only credible option to substantially increase the Welsh language provision in this sector. Cymdeithas are also pleased that the report stipulates that such developments should be adequately financed."

However Cymdeithas is concerned about the relationship between the proposed Federal College and the present Universities. Rhys Llwyd again :

"Although I understand that it is of central importance that the new Education establishment should co-operate on every level with the present Universities, Cymdeithas believes that there is a danger that people could misinterpret the report's words to mean that the Federal College would be a subordinate body, some kind of little brother to the present universities. It is of central importance that the new college should be of equal status to the other Universities with its own Vice-Chancellor who will be of equal status in this sector as the Vice-chancellors of the other establishments."

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