Key Points
- Cardiff Council leader Chris Weaver said the number of Welsh speakers in the city rose from 23.8% in June 2023 to 26.4% in December 2025.
- That equals an estimated 96,800 people aged three and over, which Weaver said is the highest figure for any local authority in Wales.
- A report presented to Cardiff Council on Thursday said 19.5% of primary school pupils were allocated places in reception at Welsh-medium schools in September 2025.
- The council said it had exceeded several targets in its five-year Welsh language strategy a year early.
- Bethan Proctor said the growth in Welsh-language use helps strengthen culture, confidence and national uniqueness.
- Liberal Democrat councillor Rhys Taylor questioned whether Cardiff has enough Welsh-medium schools and said the council must be more proactive.
- Another report said 21.3% of council employees now have recorded Welsh language skills, up from 14.5% in 2022, and more than 1,100 staff took Welsh language training in the past year.
Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) June 29, 2026 has more Welsh speakers than ever before, according to the council, with new figures showing the city has reached a record level of Welsh-language use as schools, staff training and council policy continue to expand.As reported by Mark Mansfield of Nation.Cymru, the report discussed at Cardiff Council’s Cabinet on Thursday said an estimated 96,800 people in the city can speak Welsh, equal to 26.4% of the population.
That compares with 86,400 people in 2023, showing a clear rise in the number of speakers over a two-year period.
Chris Weaver said Cardiff Council has exceeded many of the targets set in its five-year Welsh language strategy a year early.
He also said the city now holds the highest number of Welsh speakers of any local authority in Wales.
What did the council say?
Weaver said Cardiff’s ambition is to become “a truly bilingual capital” where Welsh is part of everyday life.
He said the progress is not only about increasing speaker numbers but also about building a workforce able to deliver services in Welsh.
Bethan Proctor, the Labour cabinet member for social justice, cohesion and digital, said:
“When the Welsh language flourishes so to does our culture, our confidence and our uniqueness as a nation.”
The council also approved an updated Bilingual Cardiff Council policy setting out an ambition to become a fully bilingual organisation where Welsh and English are used confidently in day-to-day work.
What did the report show?
The annual report said 21.3% of council employees have now recorded Welsh language skills, compared with 14.5% in 2022.
It also said more than 1,100 staff took part in Welsh language training during the past year, bringing the total since the launch of the council’s Bilingual Cardiff strategy to almost 6,000.
The report highlighted increased translation work, higher Welsh-language social media engagement and continued support for events such as Tafwyl.
It also noted support for the Gyrfa Gymraeg careers fair, which attracted more than 700 pupils, and the expansion of the Cymraeg i Bawb programme to promote Welsh-medium education and engagement with new communities.
What is happening in schools?
The growth in Welsh language use is also being reflected in education, with almost one in five children starting Welsh-medium primary education in Cardiff during 2025.
The report said 19.5% of primary school pupils were allocated places in reception at Welsh-medium schools in September 2025.
A separate Cardiff Council report on 2024/25 said 17.7% of reception pupils and 19.7% of nursery children were enrolled in Welsh-medium schools.
That report also said the council is working with the wider region through the Cymraeg i Bawb partnership to improve access to Welsh-medium education in south-east Wales.
Why are some councillors concerned?
Despite the progress, Liberal Democrat councillor Rhys Taylor questioned whether there are enough Welsh-medium schools in the city.
He said the council must be “far more proactive” in supplying Welsh-medium education.
That criticism suggests the debate is no longer only about celebrating growth, but also about whether the school system can keep up with demand.
The issue is likely to remain part of Cardiff’s wider education and language policy discussions.
Explore More Cardiff Council News
Cardiff Council Activates Emergency Heatwave Measures: Cardiff 2026
Cardiff Council Honours St German’s Church Shelter: Adamsdown 2026
What is the wider context?
Cardiff’s latest figures fit into a broader policy drive across Wales to expand the Welsh language through education, public services and workplace use.
The council’s bilingual strategy and Welsh in Education Strategic Plan are due to be revised in 2025/26 to align with the city’s replacement Local Development Plan.
The 2024/25 report also said Cardiff remains the local authority with the third highest number of Welsh speakers in Wales, even as its total speaker number continues to rise.
Cardiff is expected to meet 171 Welsh language standards as part of its statutory duties, and the council said this annual compliance reporting helps measure progress.
Background of this development
The growth in Cardiff’s Welsh-speaking population reflects years of investment in Welsh-medium education and public language policy.
A Welsh Government update in 2019 said Cardiff’s Welsh-medium education system had expanded steadily over time and that this had contributed to the growth in speaker numbers.
More recently, Cardiff Council has reported rising Welsh-speaking staff numbers, more training, and stronger use of the language in events and communications.
The current figures therefore appear to be part of a long-term trend rather than a sudden change.
What could happen next?
For Cardiff residents, the immediate impact is likely to be greater visibility of Welsh in schools, council services and public events.
For parents seeking Welsh-medium education, the figures suggest demand may continue to rise, which could keep pressure on school places and planning.
For council staff and service users, more training and bilingual policy work may mean wider use of Welsh in day-to-day interactions.
For Welsh-language campaigners, the data provides evidence that Cardiff is still moving toward its bilingual ambitions, though the school-place debate suggests further expansion will be needed.
