A motion condemning cuts in grant funding for Welsh language immersion centres has been passed by councillors in Gwynedd.

The centres offer intensive language lessons for children from other parts of the UK and abroad who move into the county unable to speak Welsh, meaning they are at least partially fluent when joining their local school.

But, as part of planned cuts following the loss of Welsh Government grant funding, the authority plans to slash the available funding for its immersion centres by £96,000 from September.

If the cuts are implemented, this would likely result in fewer staff or the closure of one of the five centres – which are currently based in Dolgellau, Llangybi, Caernarfon, Penrhyndeudraeth and Porthmadog.

While the final decision will be down to the cabinet, today’s full council meeting saw a prominent opposition councillor seek the support of members across the chamber to try to heap pressure on decision-makers to change their minds.

Cllr Alwyn Gruffydd, of Llais Gwynedd, proposed a motion calling on the council to “strongly object to any plan or intention to change the constitution, organisation or staffing of Gwynedd Language Centres”.

He told the full council meeting in Caernarfon: “It’s vital that we protect what’s been in place for many years.

“Immersing these young people in the language has proved to be very successful with children leaving as confident Welsh speakers after just 12 weeks.

“Gwynedd is showing the rest of Wales how it’s done, but we are endangering the existing structure if we go down this road.

“If we’re serious about promoting Welsh as a community language and our future as a nation, I urge you to support this motion.”

See this week’s north editions for the full story, in shops and online on Thursday