Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to the report of the Head of Education Transformation which was presented to provide an opportunity for Members to scrutinise the 21^st Century Schools programme, particularly the outcome of the Welsh Government facilitated Gateway Review (September 2019).

The Head of Education Transformation spoke to the report and highlighted the main points contained therein.

A Member enquired regarding recouping the costs of the sewer diversion and the highway infrastructure.  The Head of Education Transformation said that the sewer diversion had cost £1.3m and the Welsh Government had contributed £650,000 towards the costs.  In relation to the highway infrastructure a Welsh Government capital maintenance grant of circa £400,000 had been used to ease revenue cost pressures and confirmed that a total of £800,000 had also been put back into the Council’s capital programme from Welsh Government bids.

A Member requested clarity in relation to the Welsh Medium School.  The Head of Education Transformation said that discussions had been held regarding revenue implications and the Welsh Government had confirmed that no further revenue support would be available at this time.  A presentation would be presented to an informal Executive/CLT in February and following the discussions a report would be presented to this Committee to inform Scrutiny Members of the situation.

The Member commented that Welsh education was a priority for the Authority and this issue needed to be progressed.  The Head of Education Transformation said the Welsh Government had confirmed that £6m capital for this project could be carried forward.  The Band B priority projects were secondary school remodelling, Bro Helyg remodelling as well as a replacement primary school in the Ebbw Fawr valley.  A business case was soon to be submitted to the Welsh Government and will include further refurbishment works in other primary schools if resources allow.  Remodelling of schools impacted on pupil attendance and behaviour and work with the Planning Department regarding S106 agreements ensured that future capacity levels in schools was linked to residential developments in the area.

The Committee AGREED to recommend that the report be accepted and endorse Option 2, namely that the report be accepted as provided.

Councillor Jonathan Millard left the meeting at this juncture.