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Question:
I thank Cllr Pete Roberts for the response given today [12/0/22], to the question asked on behalf of myself, residents, teachers, parents and children within the Yscir and Honddu Isaf with Llanddew ward here - Agenda item - Question from: County Councillor Iain McIntosh Subject: School Closure Proposals Cyngor Sir Powys County Council (moderngov.co.uk), but I am disappointed it took five weeks to respond, and that neither Cllr Pete Roberts nor the Leader, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, have identified nor answered the very simple questions at the end of the agenda item.
The first part, or the preamble, within my question dated 7th July laid out the commitments made by the Liberal Democrats during the recent election campaign, to keep Powys primary schools open. It was very clear. These commitments have also been reported in the Brecon and Radnor Express over the last three weeks, as per the attached screenshots, and restated within the video I circulated here - https://www.facebook.com/CllrIainMcIntosh/posts/pfbid02wJ4wTz15g6YmBX13MHBSj5fuCqYU2So8MvUP3XZvSb4cM9Yj3XSu9BPmGnEBG7x5l. Further to this, I attach photographs of Cllr Pete Roberts and other Liberal Democrats attending a protest walk objecting to the closure of Cradoc Primary School, and a copy of the petition signed by Cllr Pete Roberts against the school’s closure. These actions enhanced public perception that Liberal Democrats were against the closure of Cradoc Primary school. It is therefore very clear the Liberal Democrats made commitments to keep primary schools open, and made members of the public believe they wanted to keep Cradoc and other primary schools open, and would do so if elected to Council. Therefore, can they please answer the simple question put at the end of the agenda item of 7th July:
Can the Cabinet Member for Education and the Leader confirm whether the LibDem/Labour coalition intends to carry out their pre-election commitments to prevent the closure of all three schools, (Cradoc, Dolau and Llanbedr) or not?
The second part of the question sent to you on 7th July referred in the preamble to misleading comments made during a Cabinet meeting and an Education Scrutiny meeting. Links to video recordings of both meetings, with the exact time during the meetings when the claims were made have been provided. I therefore repeat the second question, made very clear at the bottom of the previous agenda item:
Can they (Cllr James Gibson-Watt and Cllr Pete Roberts) also both apologise for misleading Cabinet, Council and the public please?
Finally, as Cllr Pete Roberts has tried to suggest no question was asked within my submission made on 7th July, when there were two very clear questions at the end, can he apologise to myself, residents, teachers, parents and children within the Yscir and Honddu Isaf with Llanddew ward, for what appears to be ... view the full agenda text for item 1. Minutes: Response by the Cabinet Member:
Can the Cabinet Member for Education and the Leader confirm whether the LibDem/Labour coalition intends to carry out their pre-election commitments to prevent the closure of all three schools, (Cradoc, Dolau and Llanbedr) or not?
As previously-explained, The Progressive Partnership has carried out the Lib Dem pre-election commitments to Cradoc, Llanfihangel Rhydithon (Dolau) and Llanbedr Primary Schools – the previous decisions by the Conservative-Independent Cabinet to close Dolau and Llanbedr Schools have been paused and a delay of 12 months introduced to allow further work on both schools to take place, In the case of Dolau the exploration of a scrutiny observation in respect of the Welsh language and for Llanbedr a catchment review to prevent the risk of children having to change schools twice. Following this work further decisions on both schools’ futures will be made.
With reference to Cradoc Primary School, the Cabinet decided to allow the decision of the previous Conservative-Independent Cabinet to stand as phase one is in keeping with the preferred model of multi sited schools under a single governance structure outlined in the Liberal Democrat Manifesto. Phase 2 will move forward on the successful completion of the business case process for the new build school and we would not seek to prejudge that process.
Can they (Cllr James Gibson-Watt and Cllr Pete Roberts) also both apologise for misleading Cabinet, Council and the public please?
No apology is required as neither of us has misled anyone although we suggest that Cllr Macintosh may consider that an apology from himself to the pupils, parents and communities of Dolau and Llanbedr Primary Schools is in order for his own actions in voting to close both schools while he was a Cabinet Member and ask him to reflect on why a majority of his own group opposed his motion to protect Cradoc earlier this summer.
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