Minutes:
The Committee chose to
scrutinise the following Cabinet items:
Cabinet Proposals
3.1 Strategic School
Improvement Programme - Future Of Secondary Education In The Upper Afan Valley
(Cllr.R.Mizen
re-affirmed his interest at this point and withdrew from the meeting)
(Cllr.D.Whitelock
re-affirmed his interest at this point and withdrew from the meeting)
Members
received information in relation to the proposal to make arrangements for
pupils who would otherwise attend Cymer Afan
Comprehensive School to receive their secondary education at a new build school
in Margam, Ysgol Cwm Brombil, and to close Cymer Afan
Comprehensive, as detailed within the circulated report.
It
was highlighted that a publication of the proposal provides a 28 day period for the
submission of objections to the proposal, therefore any responses that were
received in relation to the consultation would not be considered unless
re-submitted as part of the statutory objection process.
(Cllr.M.Ellis entered the meeting and declared his interest
at this point)
The three Ward Members were
in attendance at the meeting and addressed the Committee.
They highlighted their
disappointment in the proposal to close Cymer Afan
Comprehensive School and felt that questions that had been submitted during the
consultation period had not been answered. They went on to state that they
consider the proposal to be based around finance without having consideration
for the impact that the closure of the school would have on the community. It
was highlighted that other local areas of the community, such as the swimming
pool and community centre, have previously been closed and stated that it was
unfair to consider closing the school as well as the other facilities and to
consider the effect that this would have on the wider community.
Attention was drawn to the
level of deprivation within the Ward and the high level of need of the children
in the Afan Valley in relation to those in receipt of
Free School Meals (FSM), and Statements of Educational Need (SEN.) Due to these
additional needs the Ward Members stated that it is inevitable that the costs
of educating these pupils would be higher than average.
The Ward Members were
concerned about the amount of time allocated to study, sport and recreation and
family that the pupils would miss out on due to the amount of extra time that
would be spent travelling to and from the proposed new school site at Margam. Officers explained
that there are many pupils across the County Borough who already experience
similar travel times to and from school and do not seem to experience any
detriment.
Members asked for
assurances in relation to travelling in the cases of severe weather. It was
highlighted that stringent policies are already in place and it was reiterated
that safety is always the paramount consideration. Officers reassured Members
that the potential different weather situations in the Afan
Valley to the town areas has been taken in to consideration.
The school federation model
was discussed and Ward Members were concerned that the federation would be
dismantled and raised concern at the future of the primary schools still based
in the upper Afan Valley. It was stated by officers
that should Cymer Afan Comprehensive School close a
federated arrangement of upper Afan Valley schools
could still continue based on the 4 primary schools. Officers clarified that
there are currently no plans to re-organise primary school provision in the
upper Afan Valley.
The Ward Members stated
that one of the suggestions put forward in the consultation period had been to
consider Cymmer as a potential site for a 21st
Century School. Officers explained that various options had been explored
however no viable sites had been found and other shortcomings had been
highlighted in the consultation report.
Members asked where other
children of the Afan Valley receive their education.
Officers highlighted that a small number attend Maesteg
Schools as well as other schools in the Bridgend County Borough area and Neath
Port Talbot County Borough. However there are too few pupils who live in the
area to make good the shortfall in secondary school numbers at Cymer Afan Comprehensive School.
Members asked why Cefn Saeson School hadn’t been
considered as an alternative as there is surplus capacity to accommodate the
pupils. Officers highlighted that the school building at Cefn
Saeson is in a worse condition than the Cymer Afan Comprehensive school building. Although a new build
school on the Cefn Saeson
Comprehensive site is proposed a detailed business case has not yet been
submitted and grant funding for the scheme has not been fully approved by the
Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Education Programme.
Therefore, Cefn Saeson
Comprehensive is not considered to represent a viable alternative to the
opportunities available at Ysgol Cwm Brombil.
Members raised concern
about the physical direction of travel as it was felt that the focus is towards
centralisation and not keeping facilities within the Valley Communities.
Members discussed options in relation to transporting people from the main town
centres towards services based in the Valleys instead of transporting people
out of the Valleys into town centre provisions.
Officers highlighted that
if the direction of travel was reversed then the home to school transport costs
for would be prohibitively high with daily transport required for around 800
pupils.
Members asked whether the
60% extra funding referred to in the report is in relation to funding those
with Additional Learning Needs (ALN). Officers clarified that the extra 60% of
funding is for all pupils, and is allocated in accordance with the Secondary
School Funding Formula which contains an element of financial protection for
‘small schools’.
Members asked for further
information in relation to the 50% funding on a 21st Century School.
It was explained that funding for a new school via the Welsh Government’s 21st
Century Schools Programme requires that 50% of the costs are met by the Local
Authority.
Members noted that in their
role as County Borough Councillors they represent all pupils across the County
Borough.
Members asked for
clarification on a breakdown of costs per pupil for those in other schools and
those in Cymer Afan Comprehensive and Ysgol Cwm Brombil. It was
highlighted that the budget is allocated substantively by the number of pupils
on roll so the figures available for other schools in no way affects the
disproportionate allocation to Cymer Afan
Comprehensive School due to the small numbers on the school roll, triggering
the small school protection element of the formula.
Members asked whether Cymer
Afan Comprehensive School would be eligible for 21st
Century School funding, either on its own merit or in partnership with another
school. Members were informed that while all schools are eligible it is
unlikely that a business case would be successful due to the size of the
secondary school pupil roll.
Members raised concern that
the approval of the Ysgol Cwm Brombil
project was made 2 years ago and queried why there was no mention at that time
of the consideration of the Cymer Afan Comprehensive
School closure.
Officers explained that the
Ysgol Cwm Brombil proposal
was a result of unsuccessful grant funding negotiations with the Voluntary
Sector. This placed at risk the grant funding available to the Council from the
Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools Programme for Band A. An
alternative scheme, Ysgol Cwm Brombil,
was subsequently developed and approved. Cymer Afan
Comprehensive School was not cited as part of that proposal because of Band A
timescales. It was also mentioned that the construction of Ysgol
Cwm Brombil took account of all of the pupil numbers
within its catchment area.
Members queried how the
proposals included in the report complemented the views emerging from the Welsh
Government Valleys Task Force and the Council’s own Valleys Task and Finish
Group. Officers stated that there is no detrimental impact intended from the
proposals set out within the report as the aim is to improve the educational
setting and standards for Valley’s pupils.
A Member of the Committee
indicated that they would be proposing an amendment to the recommendation as
contained within the circulated report and asked that sufficient time be
granted to the Committee and Cabinet Members for them to consider the wording.
The Chair asked that copies
of the amendment be handed out to the Committee, Cabinet and public gallery for
consideration and therefore adjourned the meeting to allow time to consider the
amendment.
(The Chair reconvened the
meeting and welcomed everyone to the meeting.)
Members queried if Officers
were satisfied that the transport issues raised in the consultation response
had been addressed. They were informed that safe and reputable contractors are
in place who comply with a stringent framework of checks and balances.
A discussion was held on
numbers of residents and children living in Valley areas and it was highlighted
that despite the emotive issues raised by respondents to the consultation as
summarised in the consultation report, it remains the case that there are only
229 pupils attending the school which makes it unsustainable and that the
proposal offers an opportunity of 21st Century education.
Members discussed the
opportunities and facilities that will be available at Ysgol
Cwm Brombil and that also parents would still be able
to exercise a choice about which school they wish their child to attend.
Members noted that Cymer Afan Comprehensive School had in 2016 received a positive
progress report from ESTYN but were informed that in 2015 the school had been
under ESTYN monitoring.
The Committee were informed
that the proposal in the report was not based on specific concerns over
educational attainment at the school but was informed by a careful and detailed
consideration of the issues affecting the sustainability of the school. This
had been supported by a rigorous examination of the evidence and officers of
the Council stand by the outcome of that process.
Members queried if every
response and alternative suggestion proposed during the consultation had been
considered and included in the responses put before Committee. Officers
reiterated that they had committed to a careful consideration of all
alternative proposals submitted but that none proposed had offered a viable or
sustainable alternative option.
Officers confirmed that the
option of federating Cymer Afan Comprehensive School
would have no effect on the quality of the building.
Members thanked the public
and the Ward Members for their continued involvement and contribution to the
meeting and the officers for the work they had contributed.
A formal amendment to the
recommendation contained within the circulated report was proposed and
seconded:
‘It is recommended that
Officers undertake further work on the options and models for retaining a
secondary education campus in the Afan Valley.
Including potentially:
·
Federation or amalgamation
of Cymer Afan and Ysgol Cwm
Brombil
·
Inclusion of the Afan Valley Primary cluster
·
21st
Century school funding for the Afan Valley
·
Consultation with
the school communities of the Afan Valley on any
other potential alternatives
The amendment was not
supported and the Committee were overall in support of the original
recommendation contained within the circulated report to be considered by
Cabinet.