Decision details

Following recommendations from the earlier Joint Education, Skills and Culture and Cabinet Scrutiny Committees, Cabinet Members requested the following additional decisions be made, as shown at decisions No. 2 and 3 below:-

1.              That the Leader of Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council write to the Chair of the Education through Regional Working (ERW) Joint Committee in terms of the draft letter below:

DRAFT

Councillor Ellen Ap Gwynn

Chair

ERW Joint Committee

C/o Leader’s Office

Ceredigion Council

Dear Ellen,

I am writing formally to give notice of this Authority’s intention to withdraw from ERW with effect from 31 March 2020 under Clause 15.1 of the Joint Committee Agreement dated 16 July 2014.

I believe that it is unnecessary for me to rehearse the reasons why.  These have been the subject of exhaustive correspondence and numerous meetings at both political and officer level over the last year or so.  I also made this Council’s position very clear at the last meeting of the Joint Committee on 8 February. I find it disappointing that, at the time of writing, the Minister has not offered a substantive response to your letter to her of 11 February.

I should also underline that this Council will continue to work constructively for a solution to the current issues surrounding ERW and if these issues can be resolved, we reserve the right to withdraw this letter; but what we are not prepared to do is to let the end of another financial year pass without any final resolution.

I am sending copies of this letter to the Leaders of Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys and Swansea.

Yours sincerely

Councillor Rob Jones

Leader of Council

2.              That a report be brought to a joint meeting of the Education, Skills and Culture and Cabinet Scrutiny Committees if/when any significant change/s occur on the factors that have led to decision No. 1 above.

3.              That prior to the expiry of the notice period, a full report be brought to a joint meeting of the Education, Skills and Culture and Cabinet Scrutiny Committees addressing all issues as a consequence our exiting the Education through Regional Working (ERW) consortium.