Lampeter: fears of council divide over language
Lampeter Town Council could have translation at its council meetings to allow more Welsh to be spoken after the mayor said she felt “guilty” that the council doesn’t use enough Welsh, according to a report in Cambrian News Online.
Mayor Cllr. Elsie Dafis is reported as saying that her term in that office had brought home to her the fact that the council could do more to promote the Welsh language and stated that the town council must do more, starting by enabling more Welsh to be spoken at council meetings.
Nevertheless, Cllr. Ellis’ idea did not find favour with a colleague – Cllr. Kistiah Ramaya. The latter had concerns that the move could divide the council and was concerned that having translation could sideline councillors who didn’t speak Welsh and might even dissuade non-Welsh speakers from joining the council.
Cllr. Ellis informed her colleagues that council could have a translator and equipment at their meetings for under £1,000 a year. However, Cllr. Ramaya said that while he supported the Welsh language, he felt that discussions could move on before non-Welsh speakers had received the translation of comments made.
Lampeter is the smallest university town in the UK, with a population including the university of some 4,000 people.
According to Wikipedia, Welsh is no longer taught at undergraduate level at the University of Wales in Lampeter.
Hat tip: Yelena McCafferty.