A BLUEPRINT to help promote the Welsh language in Blaenau Gwent over the next five years has been welcomed by councillors.

Earlier this month census figures for the number of Welsh speakers throughout the country showed a drop in 10 years, from 562,000 in 2011 to 538,300 – which is 17.8 per cent of the population.

Blaenau Gwent saw its figures drop from 5,316 in 2011 to 4,035 in 2021.

The percentage drop is from 7.6 per cent to 6.2 per cent.

To help the Welsh Government achieve its target of one million Welsh speakers by 2050 the county borough will need to produce 66 new Welsh speakers a year to hit its target of 1,856 over the 28-year period.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Corporate Overview and Performance scrutiny committee councillors received a report on the draft Welsh Language Promotion Strategy up to 2027.

Welsh language and equality engagement professional leader, Emma Scherptong said: “It sets out three objectives: to promote and encourage the use of Welsh in the community, increase the provision of Welsh language education and increase the opportunities to use Welsh in the workplace.

“The targets are based on the new 2021 census results and the data reinforces the need for promotion strategy.

“The plan will be very much aligned with our Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) which will be key in helping us achieve our objectives.”

She said that a new “seeding” Welsh medium school in Tredegar is in the pipeline.

Cllr Jacqueline Thomas said: “I welcome the report. I think it’s great we are going forward and getting our children educated in Welsh and I look forward in seeing how we progress.”

Cllr George Humphreys believed that sport is a “tool” that can be used to encourage Welsh language and heritage from an early age.

Cllr Humphreys said: “We’ve just had the World Cup and the build up to it created so much excitement in the schools and young children.

“I’m not a Welsh speaker, but it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up when these songs are sung and these words are spoken, I welcome it wholeheartedly.”

Cllr Tommy Smith asked how schools would tie in to help promote the language.

Director of Education Lynn Phillips said: “We currently have one Welsh medium school – Bro Helyg.

“We have had Welsh Government funding for a second school which is going to be a seedling school.”

This means that Welsh medium education will start with children in the early years and grow each year until all classes in the school are taught in Welsh.

Mr Phillips also revealed that discussion are taking place with other councils, including Merthyr Tydfil and Powys to look at creating Welsh medium secondary school for the whole region.

Mr Phillips said: “It’s very exciting and will take place over the next seven or eight years.”

The committee agreed the draft strategy will go to a special full council meeting today (Wednesday).