South Wales Police's Welsh Language Scheme The Welsh Language Commissioner s Response to the Annual Monitoring Report

Transcription

1 South Wales Police's Welsh Language Scheme The Welsh Language Commissioner s Response to the Annual Monitoring Report

2 1 Baseline Information 1 2 Standard Statement Annual Monitoring Reports 2 3 Comments on performance 2 4 Summary 5

3 1 Baseline Information Baseline Information Further comment Approval date of South Wales Police's Welsh Language Scheme Senior Officer responsible for the implementation of the Welsh Language Scheme Anticipated date of receipt of Annual Monitoring Report 9 March 2012 Hywel Jones, Welsh Language Officer 1 October 2013 Received on 11 October Standard Statement 2.1 The principal aim of the Welsh Language Commissioner (the Commissioner) is to promote and facilitate the use of Welsh. This entails raising awareness of the official status of the Welsh language in Wales and imposing standards on organizations. This, in turn, will lead to the establishment of rights for Welsh speakers Two principles underpin the Commissioner's work: In Wales, the Welsh language should be treated no less favourably than the English language Persons in Wales should be able to live their lives through the medium of the Welsh language if they choose to do so In due course, secondary legislation will introduce new powers allowing the setting and imposing of standards on organizations. Until then, the Commissioner will continue to inspect statutory Welsh language schemes through the powers inherited under the Welsh Language Act The Welsh Language Commissioner may investigate failure to implement a language scheme, allegations of interference with individuals' freedom to use Welsh in Wales and, in future, complaints regarding the failure of organizations to meet standards The Welsh Language Commissioner will be able to regulate organizations firmly and consistently by means of standards, and may decide to impose a civil penalty on an organization if it does not comply with a relevant requirement. 01/06

4 2.2 Annual Monitoring Reports Language Schemes contain a commitment to prepare and present an annual monitoring To all intents, an Annual Monitoring Report is a self-assessment. In responding to them, the Welsh Language Commissioner will expect organizations to testify that they are complying with their language schemes With regard to Language Schemes, the Commissioner s practice will be to highlight risks and influence performance with a view to avoiding failure All responses to annual monitoring reports are published with a view to ensuring transparency and easy access to information on performance. 3 Comments on performance Comments on performance Section 2 We acknowledge the recruitment of Overview a Welsh Language Officer and a Translator. We also note that there is further recruitment to replace the Translator. Action required We note that you have reestablished the Siop Siarad in order to encourage staff of all abilities in the language to speak Welsh. We note the leadership shown by the Chief Constable and the Deputy Chief Constable who are themselves learning Welsh. We acknowledge the work to create gatekeepers in order to assist you in operating the Welsh language scheme and offering Welsh language services. We note your work to promote the force on the television as a means of publicising the force s Welsh language service. Section 5 Working in Partnership We acknowledge your work to try and work with others in the community such as the Mentrau Iaith. Joint working is important at any time but especially when resources are scarce. 02/06

5 We acknowledge your efforts to assist applicants who speak Welsh to go through the recruitment process in Welsh. This work is an example of the kind of practice that could be shared with others in order to share experience. We note that you have recruited 11 members of staff who speak Welsh to work in the Public Services Centre. We look forward to hearing about the development of the content in your internal magazine Billboard and your intranet Connect in your next annual monitoring Section 6 PI1 PI2 PI3 3 rd party organisations PI3 - Partnerships PI4 Control Room Staff 03/06 No quantitative information was provided for this indicator. Examples were provided of policies where the Welsh language was included in the overview in Section 1, it would have been useful to cross reference to these examples in this section. It is noted in the report that it isn t possible to monitor every meeting that is chaired by ACPO in order to assess if the meetings are opened or closed bilingually. Would it be possible to monitor a sample of meetings? We note that you have partially reported on this indicator. We note that you haven t reported on this indicator and that there isn t a system in place in order to facilitate this. We note your intention to recruit more staff at Level 4 and up for the Control Room. We agree that this would be appropriate considering Provide more quantitative information, % if possible in your next annual monitoring Consider ways of monitoring a sample of meetings and report your findings in the next annual monitoring Provide more quantitative information, % if possible in your next annual monitoring Develop a system to consider if the force is complying with the partnership clauses of the Welsh language scheme. Provide an update in the next annual monitoring

6 PI4 Custody Staff the figures noted in the The report s figures show that there isn t one officer of Level 4 ability or above amongst the 71 staff of the in the Custody Service. This matter needs to be dealt with without delay in order to ensure language choice in Custody. In the meantime, we would like to know your arrangements for dealing with someone who wishes to speak Welsh in Custody. Explain the arrangements for offering a Welsh language service to someone who wishes to speak Welsh in Custody. You should provide this information by 10 January PI5 Mobile police stations There is not one officer of Level 3 or higher in the mobile police stations. It should be ensured that it is possible to offer a Welsh language service. Explain the arrangements for offering a Welsh language service to someone who wishes to speak Welsh in the mobile police stations. You should provide this information by 10 January PI6 Training Courses We note that you haven t fully reported on this indicator. PI7 Staff who can sure Level 2 competency within 18 months of being appointed. PI8 Training to Qualification level PI9 - % of staff who can speak Welsh... Rough details with regard to new staff and their ability when starting in post were noted in the The information provided does not meet the reporting requirements. Despite that, we agree with your intention to hold a review of the employees abilities in the monthly check of their details. In the same way as above, we agree that it would be appropriate to try and receive this information in the monthly check of staff details. Low numbers of Welsh speakers were noted on the whole in the detailed analysis of Welsh speakers Level 4 and above. We believe it would be appropriate for the force to prepare a strategy to deal with this situation when recruitment or training opportunities allow. We ask that you report on any review held in your next annual monitoring We recommend that the force adopts a strategy to increase the number of Welsh speakers within the force who have a role which deals with the public. Develop this strategy by the end of May 04/06

7 2014. PI10 Welsh speakers in the community and the % recruited. We note the information received for this indicator in Annex 6. PI11 - % of all jobs that comply with the Competency Framework We note that you haven t reported on this indicator but are looking at ways to receive the information. PI12 Complaints Qualitative information was received for this indicator. PI13 - use of Welsh language services We note very low numbers of calls to the Welsh language option on 101. We recommend that you assess the service in order to discover any difficulties that would hinder people from using the Welsh language line. Provide the findings of any assessment and information about any further steps in your next annual monitoring Annex 8 Section 8.1 We would like to encourage you to continue to enable staff to produce items for internal use in Welsh. This kind of working will help to normalise the use of Welsh in the organisation. 4 Summary Further information required 05/06 Provide more quantitative information for Performance Indicator (PI) 1, a % if possible. Consider ways of monitoring a sample of ACPO chaired meetings for use of In your next annual monitoring Report your findings in the next annual monitoring

8 Welsh. Provide more quantitative information for PI3 3 rd parties, a % if possible. Provide an update on your efforts to recruit more staff Level 4 and above for the Control Room. Explain the arrangements for offering a Welsh language service to someone who wishes to speak Welsh in Custody or in the mobile police stations. We recommend that the force adopts a strategy to increase the number of Welsh speakers within the force in roles which deal with the public. In your next annual monitoring In the next annual monitoring By 10 January By the end of May Provide the findings of any assessment of the 101 Welsh language option and information about any further steps. In your next annual monitoring 06/06