Agenda and draft minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillor Sue McNicholas and Nancy Owen, Finance Manager.

To receive any disclosures of interest by Members relating to items to be considered at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest from Members relating to items for consideration on the agenda.

To receive disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.

(NB: Members are reminded that under Section 78 Members having been given a prohibited party whip cannot vote on a matter before the Committee.)

The Committee did not receive any disclosures of prohibited party whips which a Member has been given in relation to the meeting in accordance with Section 78(3) of the Local Government Measure 2011.

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the previous meetings held as follows as a correct record: 16^th January 2025 and the 12^th February 2025.

Documents Considered:  16.01.2025 proposed by Cllr Chloe Masefield and seconded by Cllr Carol Robinson and 12.02.2025 proposed by Cllr Lucy Roberts and seconded by Cllr Carol Robinson.

The minutes were agreed by Committee members present as a true and accurate reflection of the meetings and ratified accordingly by the Chair.

To receive the Cabinet's responses to Scrutiny Recommendations.

Committee noted the length of time that had lapsed for the Cabinet responses to recommendations made by the Scrutiny Committee, to be received, in particular from the meeting in September 2024.

The Portfolio Holder re-iterated his comment from the meeting of the 12th February 2025, where he stated that the delay was a conscious decision, due to the Schools consultation timeframe and not wanting a response to be adjudged as pre-determining an outcome.

The Chair countered that the scrutiny process had been devalued, the 2 recommendations from September 2025 would not have affected the consultation. Disappointment was expressed that decisions were made by the Cabinet on the 21^st February, without responses known, to proceed with notice of closure issued for the school concerned.

The Portfolio Holder had taken on board the comments made and would notify of reason for any future late responses.

The Director of Education would take the comments made to the Monitoring Officer and to officers within the Education Service, as well as discussing points raised with the Portfolio Holder.

For the Committee to scrutinise the Ysgol Calon Cymru Proposal Paper.

Background:

A precis of the proposal paper was given by Portfolio Holder for a Learning Powys, County Councillor Pete Roberts, as a request to Cabinet to proceed with formal consultation on the re-organisation of a school in line with the Transformation programme and the Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP), to establish a Welsh medium school that will in the longer term be the sole occupant of the Ysgol Calon Cymru site, with an English Medium school on the current site of Llandrindod Wells school campus. Included in the proposal was a proposal to move Builth Wells County Primary Welsh medium stream onto the Ysgol Calon Cymru site and move the primary school to English medium.

To consider and confirm the Scrutiny Committee’s recommendations to Cabinet on the Ysgol Calon Cymru Proposal paper.

Committee discussed and confirmed the following recommendations on the Ysgol Calon Cymru proposal paper:

·         Representation to be made to Welsh Government for additional funding to support WG target of Welsh Speakers by 2050.

·         Representation to be made to the Welsh Government for clearer definitions Welsh Medium Education to Bilingual Outcome education, to enable parents to make informed decisions.

·         Powys County Council to provide more proactive public communication for parents on bilingual education.

·         Long-term vision to be provided on all transformation programmes.

·         The concern remains in respect of the timeline on this transformation programme, and whether it was achievable.

·         Catchment maps to be provided within papers to Scrutiny and public consultations of current and proposed maps.

·         School transport remains a concern as conflicting information provided to different areas of Powys.

·         To consider equity for all schools, regardless of site, under the financial regulations following Transformation programmes.

·         Recruitment and retention plans must be included in the information provided to Scrutiny on all transformation projects, in particular for Welsh Medium/ bilingual outcome Education.

·         Welsh Government Working Group on Cross County Education information to be provided to Scrutiny, as concern heightened that Welsh medium Education would be undertaken outside of Powys for Powys residing learners.

To note that future meetings of the Committee are scheduled as follows:

Work programme was noted with comments made for additional items to be scheduled as follows:

·         School visit – Robert Owen

·         Briefing paper along the varying issues for border schools

·         School Funding Formula

·         De-Brief on the Estyn Report possibly to Full Council once report was published

·         Education Integrated Business Plan

·         Pupil Attendance & Exclusion data

·         Youth Voice Youth Strategy