CEREDIGION County Council should play its part in tackling the decline of the county’s population and percentage of Welsh speakers, according to a Welsh language campaign group.

An open meeting of Cymdeithas yr Iaith was held on Saturday, January 21 in response to the fall in the percentage of Welsh speakers in the county, as was revealed last month.

Representatives from the council, including leader Bryan Davies, were present, as well as the county’s various organisations, local councillors and individuals from the community.

Tamsin Davies, spokeswoman for 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.

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“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.”

The group is calling on the council to work through the Welsh language, ensure that the county’s children receive education through the language and to use new powers to tackle second homes and holiday homes.