The number of non-Welsh speakers working for Ceredigion County Council is reducing with only four per cent – 66 people – unable to use the language.

Council leader Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn said this was an improvement, as was the reduction of complaints about Welsh language issues to four made to the commissioner.

She updated cabinet on Tuesday, June 11 on the latest information from the annual review of Welsh language standards required across the authority.

Cllr ap Gwynn said that there were 656 members of council staff – 34 per cent – who can speak Welsh fluently, to Association of Language Testers in Europe  level five.

This dropped to 484 – 25 per cent – when it came to writing fluently in Welsh.

Those assessing their own ability between levels three and five and able to hold a conversation in Welsh totalled 1,196 or 63 per cent of council staff.

“I have received one staff member thanking me that the council does allow them to improve their ability to work through the medium of Welsh,” said Cllr ap Gwynn.

Between April 2018 and March this year 129 members of staff had the chance to learn the language or improve their current skills, a report to cabinet added, including 14 who achieved the Mynediad (entry level) Learn Welsh exam.

Eleven on these people went on to the next level, Sylfaen, and 28 will sit a language exam this month.

More staff will be encouraged to take part in the 10-hour Croeso Cymraeg online course, members heard, after 17 completed it out of 101 who signed up.

There were a total of eight complaints, four dealt with by the council and four sent to the Welsh Language Commissioner, two of which were dismissed.

Complaints directly to the council related to swimming certificates issued in English only and not receiving a Welsh language service at a leisure centre reception.

The commissioner upheld a complaint about not seeking public views on the impact of a Housing for All strategy on the Welsh language and someone who received a form in English despite requesting it in Welsh.

Cllr ap Gwynn said improvements had been made.

“If we don’t know where we’re going wrong we can’t do anything about it or improve on them,” she added.