www.wao.gov.uk

Welsh Language Scheme

28 May 2009

This Scheme was approved by the Welsh Language Board under Section 14

of the Welsh Language Act 1993. It came into effect on 28 May 2009.

Rachel Moss

Head of Communications

28 May 2009

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The public face of the Wales Audit Office 9

Corporate Identity and imageSigns and directions in our officesWebsitePublishing and printing material for the general public in WalesForms and explanatory materialPress releasesAdvertising and publicityOfficial public notices and recruitment advertising

Implementing and monitoring the Scheme 11

StaffingRecruitmentLearning WelshVocational trainingAdministrative arrangementsServices delivered on behalf of the Wales Audit Officeby other partiesMonitoringReviewing and amending the Scheme

Main targets for Scheme delivery 14

Contents

Introduction 4

The SchemeThe Wales Audit Office

Aims and Objectives of the Scheme 5

Service planning and delivery 6

Policies, legislation and initiativesDelivering servicesOur regulatory functions – and services undertaken on our behalf by third partiesStandards of quality

Dealing with the Welsh-speaking public 7

Written communicationTelephone communicationsPublic meetingsAudit of public bodiesOther meetings with the public in WalesOther dealings with the public in Wales

The Scheme

1 The Wales Audit Office adopts the principle that in

the conduct of public business in Wales, it will treat

the English and Welsh languages on the basis of

equality. This Scheme sets out how the Wales Audit

Office will give effect to that principle when providing

services to the public in Wales.

2 This Welsh Language Scheme incorporates many of

the working practices of the Wales Audit Office in

serving the public in Wales and further formalises its

language policies as required by the Welsh

Language Board. The Scheme includes many new

initiatives and is accompanied by an action plan

setting out how we will operate in accordance with

the Scheme.

The Wales Audit Office

3 The Wales Audit Office is responsible annually for

the audit of over £20 billion of public expenditure at

all levels of administration in Wales, from Local

Health Boards to the Assembly Government.

4 The Wales Audit Office welcomes recognition of the

principle of equality between the English and Welsh

languages. When communicating with the public in

Wales in the exercise of its duties, it will do so

according to that principle as indicated in this

Scheme. Respect for both languages has been the

approach of the Audit Commission and the National

Audit Office before the creation of the Wales Audit

Office and both had regard for the Welsh language

and the needs of Welsh speakers in the provision of

services. This Scheme unites that respect into a

strategy for serving the Welsh speaking public.

5 The Wales Audit Office is headed by the Auditor

General and employs around 293 staff. The

headquarters is in Cardiff but there are other offices

across Wales and many field staff work from home

or from client offices. Staff of the Wales Audit Office

are not civil servants and are independent of

government. All staff undertake their duties strictly in

accordance with the Code of Audit and Inspection

Practice.

6 The Auditor General’s audit and inspection functions,

encompassing audits of financial statements and

work in relation to the performance of services,

contribute to providing:

assurance in relation to the annual financial

statements and that public funds have been

properly used for the intended purposes;

assurance that Welsh public bodies are providing

good value for money in the delivery of their

services to the public;

feedback to audited and inspected bodies to help

them to improve services; and

information to those responsible for the scrutiny

of policy, to policymakers themselves, and to

service users and taxpayers.

7 The Wales Audit Office undertakes to monitor the

effectiveness of implementation of the measures set

out in this Scheme and will not alter the Scheme

without the approval of the Welsh Language Board.

8 Further information about the Wales Audit Office can

be found at: http://www.wao.gov.uk

9 Contact details for this Scheme can be found at the

end of this document.

Introduction

Welsh Language Scheme4

Aims and objectives of the Scheme

Welsh Language Scheme 5

10 In its dealings with the public in Wales, the Wales

Audit Office will treat Welsh and English on the basis

of equality, with both languages enjoying the same

status and validity.

Policies, legislation and initiatives

11 Our policies, initiatives and services will be

consistent with this Scheme. They will support the

use of Welsh language and will, whenever possible,

help the public in Wales use Welsh as part of their

day-to-day lives.

12 When we contribute to the development or delivery

of policies, initiatives, services or new legislation led

by other organisations, we will do so in a way which

is consistent with this Scheme.

Delivering services

13 Wherever possible, we will ensure that our services

are available to the public in Welsh.

14 We will let the public know when services are

available in Welsh.

15 As part of this Scheme, the Wales Audit Office will

carry out a triennial survey of the language

preferences of all audited and inspected bodies.

The survey results will allow the Wales Audit Office

to review the demand for services in Welsh and the

targets which should apply to their provision.

Our regulatory functions – and services undertaken

on our behalf by third parties

16 Any agreements or arrangements which we make

with third parties will be consistent with the

relevant parts of this Scheme, when those

agreements or arrangements relate to the

provision of services to the public in Wales.

17 This will include services which are contracted

out, granting licences and granting other

permissions.

Standards of quality

18 Services provided in Welsh and English will be of

equal quality and will be provided within the same

timescale.

Service planning and delivery

Welsh Language Scheme6

Written communication

Our normal practice will be as follows:

19 When someone writes to us in Welsh we will issue a

reply in Welsh (if a reply is required). Our target time

for replying will be the same as for replying to letters

written in English.

20 When we initiate correspondence with an individual,

group or organisation, we will do so in Welsh when

we know that they would prefer to correspond in

Welsh.

21 When we send standard or circular correspondence

to multiple recipients in Wales, it will be bilingual

unless we know that all recipients would prefer to

receive it in Welsh or English only.

22 If the Welsh and English versions of any

correspondence have to be published separately,

our normal practice will be to ensure that both

versions are available at the same time.

23 Enclosures sent with bilingual letters will be bilingual,

when available.

24 Enclosures sent with Welsh letters will be Welsh or

bilingual, when available.

25 The above will apply to e-mail correspondence as

well as paper correspondence.

26 All hard-copy Welsh correspondence that we issue

will be signed (either by hand, or by electronic

signature for mass mailings).

27 We will use a scoring system agreed by the Welsh

Language Board to identify objectively any standard

or circular correspondence which need not be

published in Welsh, or bilingually (for instance, when

the correspondence is very technical or lengthy).

Telephone communication

28 Our normal practice is to ensure that the public can

speak in Welsh or English when dealing with us by

telephone.

20 Our switchboard staff will answer with a bilingual

greeting.

30 Our main switchboard will use a bilingual message

on its answerphone.

31 We will encourage the rest of our staff to answer the

telephone with a bilingual greeting and use bilingual

messages on their personal answerphones.

32 If the caller wishes to speak Welsh, our switchboard

will try to connect the call to a Welsh speaker

qualified to deal with the enquiry.

33 If a caller rings one of our direct lines and wishes to

speak Welsh, but the person taking the call cannot

do so, they will try to transfer the call to a

Welsh-speaking colleague qualified to deal with the

enquiry.

34 If a Welsh speaker qualified to deal with the enquiry

is not available, the caller will be given the choice, as

appropriate, of having a Welsh speaker phone back

as soon as possible, continuing the call in English or

submitting their query in Welsh, by letter or e-mail.

Public meetings

35 The Wales Audit Office and/or appointed auditors

rarely hold meetings with the general public. They

may come into contact with various

interest/professional groups (via conferences) or

individuals in audited bodies or services (for

research purposes and site visits).

36 However, if a public meeting should be held, we will

provide simultaneous translation from Welsh into

English at our public meetings unless we have

established that all participants are likely to use the

same language.

37 Invitations and advertisements for public meetings

will be bilingual and either note that translation

facilities will be available or invite the public to let us

know in advance in which language they wish to

speak.

38 We will let those attending public meetings know

when translation facilities are available – and

encourage contributions in Welsh.

Dealing with the Welsh-speaking public

Welsh Language Scheme 7

Welsh Language Scheme8

39 Our normal practice will be to provide papers and

other information for public meetings in Welsh and

English – and for reports or papers produced

following public meetings to be published in Welsh

and English.

40 When selecting staff to attend public meetings, our

normal practice will be to ensure that suitably

qualified Welsh speakers attend, as necessary.

Audit of public bodies

41 Wherever possible, we will include a Welsh speaker

as a key member of the audit team on assignments

where the records being examined are mostly

maintained in the medium of Welsh. Welsh-speaking

members of the teams may comprise permanent

members of the Wales Audit Office's staff or persons

working for the Wales Audit Office on contract.

42 Members of the public providing information relevant

to an audit (under Section 18 (4) of the Public Audit

(Wales) Act 2004) will be offered the opportunity to

communicate with the Wales Audit Office in their

language of choice.

43 Local electors have the legal right to ask the auditor

questions about the accounts of their local authority

or to object to those accounts under sections 29 and

30 of the Public Audit (Wales) Act 2004. An authority

advertises these rights each year, notifying electors

of the period within which the rights may be

exercised.

44 In exercising their rights, electors in Wales are

welcome to write to their local auditor in Welsh or

English. Questions which are submitted in writing in

Welsh will be answered in writing in Welsh. Where

an elector seeks a formal meeting, for the purpose of

making an objection, they will, wherever possible, be

offered the opportunity to communicate with the

auditor in their language of choice.

Other meetings with the public in Wales

45 When we arrange or attend face-to-face meetings

with the public, we will establish their language

preference at the earliest opportunity and, whenever

possible, ensure that a suitably qualified

Welsh-speaking member of staff deals with those

whose preferred language is Welsh.

46 If a suitably qualified Welsh speaker is not available,

we will offer the choice of continuing the meeting in

English, or dealing with the subject by corresponding

in Welsh.

47 The above will also apply to meetings held using

videoconferencing and similar equipment.

Other dealings with the public in Wales

48 When we undertake public surveys, we will ensure

that all aspects of communication with the public will

be bilingual.

49 Respondents will be asked if they wish to respond to

the survey in Welsh or English.

50 When we arrange seminars, training courses or

similar events for the public, we will assess the need

to provide them in Welsh.

51 Our normal practice will be to ensure that

announcements made over public address systems

are made in Welsh and English.

52 Any audio-visual displays or interactive media that

we prepare will be bilingual. When this is not

possible, we will provide a bilingual written transcript.

Corporate identity and image

53 The Wales Audit Office will adopt a fully bilingual

public image and corporate identity as reflected in

the corporate name, address, logo, corporate

slogan, and standard factual information on

stationery (eg, letter heading, fax papers, business

cards), identification badges and publications

intended for the Welsh public at large. Bilingual

stationery will be used for all correspondence in

Wales.

Signs and directions in our offices

54 The Wales Audit Office is committed to the provision

of bilingual information signs within the confines of

its own property, including internal and external

signage schemes.

55 Where bilingual or separate Welsh and English signs

are provided, they will be equal in terms of format,

size, quality, legibility and prominence. The Wales

Audit Office will encourage audited bodies which

provide office facilities for audit staff, to provide

signage which is bilingual and conforms to this

scheme.

56 The above will apply to all types of signs, including

electronic signs.

Website

57 The Wales Audit Office's website, www.wao.gov.uk,

will be fully bilingual. The host page will give the

visitor a language preference on their first visit to the

website. Following this, a cookie will remember their

language of choice. Visitors to the site are welcome

to post Welsh messages requesting further

information and to send Welsh language e-mails to

the Wales Audit Office.

58 Whenever we post English language publications on

our websites, the Welsh versions will also be posted,

if available.

Publishing and printing material for the general

public in Wales

59 The Wales Audit Office is committed to providing

printed material aimed at the general public in Wales

in both Welsh and English.

60 Printed material for bodies which are of a technical

nature will remain in English only – except where a

specific report has special interest for the Welsh

general public only.

61 Publications aimed at the public in Wales and

produced by the Auditor General, her appointed

auditors or the Wales Audit Office will be required to

comply with the policy. This applies to private firms

when they are exercising the functions of an

appointed auditor under the Public Audit (Wales) Act

2004.

62 Where the Wales Audit Office produces a bilingual

version of a priced document, its price will not be

greater than a single-language version of that

document. Where separate Welsh and English

versions of a document are produced, the price will

be the same.

63 We will use a scoring system, to be agreed with the

Welsh Language Board, to identify objectively when

material should be published as separate Welsh and

English versions or as bilingual documents.

64 Reports to individual bodies will be made available in

line with that audited body's language preference,

even though they are not specifically intended for the

general public.

Forms and explanatory material

65 Our normal practice will be to ensure that all forms

and associated explanatory material for use by the

public in Wales will be fully bilingual, with the Welsh

and English versions together in one document. This

will include interactive forms published on our

websites.

66 If the Welsh and English versions have to be

published separately (for instance, where a

single document would be too lengthy or bulky), both

versions will be of equal size and quality – and we

will ensure that both versions are available at the

same time and are equally accessible. Each version

will clearly note that the material is available in the

other language.

The public face of the Wales Audit Office

Welsh Language Scheme 9

67 We will use a scoring system, agreed with the Welsh

Language Board, to identify objectively when forms

should be published as separate Welsh and English

versions or as bilingual documents.

Press releases

68 Press releases to the press and broadcasting media

in Wales will be issued in Welsh and English where

deadlines permit – or according to the language

preference of the recipient media organisation or

publication.

69 Where possible, we will ensure that Welsh speakers

are available to undertake interviews with the Welsh

language press and broadcasting media.

Advertising and publicity

70 All of the publicity, public information, exhibition and

advertising material we use in Wales will be

produced bilingually, or as separate Welsh and

English versions. If the Welsh and English versions

have to be published separately, both versions will

be equal with regard to size, prominence and quality

– and both versions will be available simultaneously

and will be equally accessible.

71 Any advertisements placed in English language

newspapers (or similar material) distributed mainly

or wholly in Wales, will be bilingual, or will appear as

separate Welsh and English versions (with both

versions appearing simultaneously, and being equal

with regard to size, prominence and quality).

72 In Welsh language publications, advertisements will

be in Welsh only.

73 Television, cinema and radio advertising may be

conducted in Welsh and English. Television

campaigns which appear on S4C during Welsh

programming hours will be in Welsh. Radio

campaigns broadcast during Welsh language

programmes on commercial radio stations will be in

Welsh.

74 Our normal practice will be to avoid using Welsh

language subtitles, or dubbing adverts into Welsh.

75 Telephone response lines and other ways of

responding to campaigns in Wales will be bilingual

or will include a separate Welsh response service.

Official public notices and recruitment advertising

76 Official notices, public notices and staff recruitment

notices placed in English language newspapers (or

similar media) distributed mainly or wholly in Wales,

will be bilingual, or appear as separate Welsh and

English versions. Notices will be in Welsh in Welsh

language publications.

77 The Welsh and English versions will be equal in

terms of format, size, quality and prominence –

whether produced as a single bilingual version, or as

separate Welsh and English notices.

78 In the English language media, posts where the

ability to speak Welsh is essential may be advertised

in Welsh, with a brief description in English.

79 Recruitment notices placed in English language

journals (and other publications) with a UK-wide

distribution may be in English, unless the post is one

where the ability to speak Welsh is essential, in

which case the notice may be fully bilingual, or in

Welsh with a brief explanation in English.

80 Any official notices, public notices or staff

recruitment notices placed elsewhere in Wales will

be bilingual.

10 Welsh Language Scheme

11Welsh Language Scheme

Staffing

81 The Wales Audit Office will adopt a Linguistic Skills

Strategy to increase its ability to deliver services to

the public in Wales. The following measures will form

part of it.

82 The Wales Audit Office will hold information on

post-holders who speak Welsh. The number and

distribution of Welsh speakers does not enable the

Wales Audit Office to provide a fully bilingual service.

However, the measures set out below are intended

to increase the Wales Audit Office's ability to meet

that objective over the next few years with the

support of its staff.

83 The Wales Audit Office will examine its services and

their relationship with the public so as to identify

those workplaces, teams and jobs where the ability

to speak Welsh is essential or desirable and will

formulate job descriptions accordingly. This

requirement may be defined as a component of the

workplace or team rather than being attached to a

particular post. It must be stressed that no post-

holder unable to speak Welsh will have their

employment adversely affected by the language

policies in this scheme. The Wales Audit Office will

establish criteria by which the language

requirements of the scheme will be met, which will

include the nature of the post and the frequency of

contact with the Welsh-speaking public.

84 The Wales Audit Office will ensure that those

managers and others responsible for staff

recruitment, training and supervision will implement

the measures described above.

85 From time to time, the Wales Audit Office will carry

out a language audit to establish the number, ability

level and location of staff that can speak, read and

write Welsh (including staff that are learning Welsh).

Where workplaces are identified as having a shortfall

of bilingual staff, a strategy will be implemented to

rectify the situation.

Recruitment

86 Linguistic ability will be considered as one of the

many relevant skills when appointing staff. Where

linguistic ability in Welsh is considered to be

essential or desirable, this will be stated in relevant

job advertisements. In circumstances where it

proves difficult to appoint suitable bilingual staff to

posts where the ability to speak Welsh is considered

essential, we will temporarily rearrange the way we

provide services in order to deal with this gap in our

Welsh language provision.

Learning Welsh

87 The Wales Audit Office is fully committed to

encouraging and supporting those members of staff

who want to learn Welsh or improve their skills in

Welsh. Priority will be given to staff in those areas of

service delivery where there is regular contact with

the Welsh-speaking public or where there is an

identified shortfall of bilingual staff. Welsh-speaking

auditors will be encouraged to improve their grasp of

Welsh in relation to their vocation and function.

Vocational training

88 We will develop the ability of our Welsh-speaking

staff to operate in Welsh by providing vocational

training in Welsh, whenever practicable.

Administrative arrangements

89 The measures in this Scheme carry the full authority,

support and approval of our organisation.

90 Managers will have the responsibility of

implementing those aspects of the Scheme relevant

to their work.

91 We will appoint a senior member of staff to

co-ordinate the work required to deliver, monitor and

review this Scheme.

Implementing and monitoring the Scheme

Welsh Language Scheme12

92 We will continuously update a detailed action plan

setting out how we will ensure that we will operate in

accordance with this Scheme. The action plan will

come into effect on the date on which the Scheme

comes into effect. The plan will include targets,

deadlines and a report on progress against each

target.

93 The scheme will be publicised to our staff, and to the

public in Wales. It will be published on our website in

a prominent place.

94 We will produce desk instructions, or similar

guidance, for our staff to ensure that they know how

to implement the measures contained in this

Scheme.

95 Existing desk instructions, or similar guidance used

by our staff, will be amended to reflect the measures

contained in this Scheme.

96 We will arrange briefing and training sessions for our

staff to increase awareness of this scheme – and to

explain how it will affect their day-to-day work.

97 We will ensure that we use only qualified translators

or interpreters to help with the delivery of this

Scheme.

98 Any form of contact with the public in Wales, which is

not specifically dealt with by this Scheme, will be

undertaken in a manner which is consistent with the

general principles enshrined in this Scheme.

Other dealings with the public in Wales

99 The need to provide information and services in

Welsh, and operate in accordance with this

Scheme, will be catered for as we develop, design

and purchase information and communications

technology products and services.

100 Whenever possible, we will modify our existing

information and communications technology

systems to ensure that they enable us to provide

information and services in Welsh – and

operate in accordance with this Scheme.

Services delivered on behalf of the Wales Audit

Office by other parties

101 The Wales Audit Office will, when making any new

agreements, require any bodies, organisations or

companies or other parties carrying out services on

its behalf for the public in Wales to comply with

appropriate provisions of this Scheme. The Wales

Audit Office will ensure that the contractors or

agents with which it deals who provide services to

or communicate with the public in Wales implement

any and all relevant elements of this scheme when

dealing with the public in Wales on its behalf. Such

contractors and third parties will be required to

co-operate with the Wales Audit Office in the

effective monitoring of the scheme and regular

performance reports will be expected from them as

part of the standard monitoring arrangements.

102 The Wales Audit Office will provide guidance on

compliance with the scheme to relevant staff

dealing with third parties, agents and contractors

providing services to the public in Wales on behalf

of the Wales Audit Office. Such staff will observe

and act according to that guidance.

103 Relevant tendering documents and contracts

relating to third parties, agents and contractors

undertaking to provide services to the public in

Wales on behalf of the Wales Audit Office will

specify the requirements as to the use of the Welsh

language in accordance with this Scheme.

Monitoring

104 We will monitor our progress in delivering this

scheme against the targets set out in its

accompanying action plan.

105 Our existing monitoring and reporting procedures

will include reference to progress in

delivering this Scheme, as appropriate.

106 We will send monitoring reports to the Welsh

Language Board, when requested by them,

outlining progress in delivering this Scheme.

Welsh Language Scheme 13

Reviewing and amending the Scheme

107 We will review this Scheme within four years of its

coming into effect.

108 Also, from time to time, we may need to review this

Scheme, or propose amendments to this Scheme,

because of changes to our functions, or to the

circumstances in which we undertake those

functions, or for any other reason.

109 No changes will be made to this Scheme without

the Welsh Language Board’s approval.

Complaints and suggestions for improvement

110 Complaints related to this Scheme, or suggestions

for improvement, should be directed to the senior

member of staff with responsibility for the Scheme,

at the following address:

Head of Communications

Wales Audit Office

24 Cathedral Road

Cardiff

CF11 9LJ

Tel: 02920 320518

Or by e-mail to: info@wao.gov.uk

14 Welsh Language Scheme

Main targets for scheme delivery

Target Date of completion

Staff awareness

Publicise the Scheme to our staff and put it in a prominent place on our intranet.

June 2009

Staff guidance

Provide/edit existing desk instructions for staff informing of the Scheme and the implications for their work.

June 2009/ongoing

Publicity for the Scheme

Publicise the Scheme on our website and in any relevant publicity material.

June 2009

Contracts

Ensure our standard contracts and contract templates are amended to include reference to the Welsh language

Scheme.

End of December 2009

Linguistic Skills Strategy

Prepare and adopt a Linguistic Skills Strategy to increase our ability to deliver services in Welsh to the public in

Wales.

End of March 2010

Increasing auditors with Welsh language skills

By implementing recruitment and training measures over time we will increase our pool of

Welsh-speaking auditors so that we are able to deal effectively with all organisations who keep Welsh-medium

records by the end of period of this Scheme.

Ongoing