Monmouthshire U-turn on Welsh translation street signs

A council which scrapped a policy to translate street names to Welsh when new signs are installed has formally reversed the decision. 

Monmouthshire council was found to have breached its Welsh language standards when it agreed, in December 2021, to discontinue translations. 

It had previously translated names when new signs were put up.

The council said signs had been made in both languages since the Welsh language commissioner's decision in August 2022.

Although the body has said it was acceptable to provide English-only replacement signs, the decision was a breach of the council's agreed Welsh language standards. 

That is because abandoning Welsh translations meant the council was doing less for the benefit of the language than it had previously and reversed "progressive action" in relation to Welsh. 

The commissioner, who became involved following a complaint from a member of the public, said the council had failed to give proper consideration to how its decision would affect the Welsh language. 

The 2021 decision allowed street signs to be replaced on a "like-for-like" basis, which meant many would be in English only.

When replacement or additional street nameplates are required for existing streets with English names only, the signs will now be bilingual, with Welsh first. 

There is no change to the policy for naming new streets, which will continue to be Welsh only or bilingual Welsh and English, but never English only.