PROMINENT politicians joined with language campaigners over the weekend to call on Ceredigion to do more to tackle the decline in Welsh speakers.

Cymdeithas yr Iaith held an open meeting on Saturday, which was attended by various members of Ceredigion County Council, including its leader, Cllr Bryan Davies, along with the county’s MS, Elin Jones.

Census figures released in December showed that Ceredigion had seen a two per cent drop in the number of Welsh speakers between 2011 and 2021.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows 45.3 per cent of people in Ceredigion can speak Welsh, which is down from 47.3 per cent since 2011.

The open meeting on Saturday, held at Neuadd Llwyncelyn, called on the people of Ceredigion and the county council to do more to tackle the decline in Welsh speakers.

Tamsin Davies on behalf of Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Ceredigion said: "Ceredigion saw the biggest drop in population in Wales over the last decade, and figures show that it is mainly young people that are leaving the county.

"There are many reasons for this - lack of job opportunities, lack of affordable housing and cuts to services. People in power, who create and set policy, need to take responsibility for tackling this.

"We were therefore pleased that the members of the council's cabinet and the leader of the council were there to hear and to contribute."

Cymdeithas yr Iaith is calling on Ceredigion Council to move to work through the Welsh language, to ensure that the county's children receive education through the Welsh language and to use new powers to tackle second homes and holiday homes.

Tamsin Davies added: "The meeting was the starting point, and it will be the basis for Cymdeithas' campaigns in the county and an opportunity for us to work with the county's communities to prevent a further fall in the number of Welsh speakers and communities.

"But we have set a challenge to the county council as well - to respond positively to the results of the Census by addressing the issues raised today."