Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Learning.

The report of the Head of Learning incorporating the outcome of the informal, non-statutory consultation on the modernisation of the primary education provision in the Seiriol area was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report set out the context as regards the drivers for change; the responses from the three consultation meetings held with staff, governors and parents of the three schools affected – Beaumaris, Llandegfan and Llangoed as well as other stakeholders; analysis of the options for change undertaken according to an established scoring system and the resulting option on which it was recommended a statutory consultation should proceed.

The Portfolio Member for Education reported that the Executive had assented to Officers of the Lifelong Learning Service conducting an informal or non-statutory consultation on the primary education provision in the Seiriol area back in June, 2016.This process subsequently took place over the period 19 June to 30 July 2017 during which three meetings with stakeholders at Ysgol Llangoed, Beaumaris and Llandegfan were held which he had attended. The Portfolio Member said that this matter had been scrutinised in detail by the Corporate Scrutiny Committee the previous week which after careful consideration and debate, had supported the recommendations presented which involved conducting a statutory consultation on the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris. At the meeting of the Scrutiny Committee, he had outlined the grounds on which the recommendation had been made including amongst others, falling pupil numbers and surplus places at Ysgol Beaumaris, the resulting high cost of provision, and the extent of the investment needed in the school building. The highest scoring options assessed against the factors for change all involved the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris. He had stated at the meeting that he was open to any alternative, viable option to closing the school and that that remains the case. However, to date none have been presented. He acknowledged that this is a difficult decision to have to make but given the challenging financial circumstances in which local authorities are having to work, and the change in approach that this is necessitating, it is unlikely to be the last.

The Head of Learning said that the initial consultation that was held was an informal process designed to obtain the views and opinions as well as any new ideas by the local community and as an additional step undertaken by Anglesey Council as a matter of choice, is one that is regarded as good practice. Where the school modernisation process has been undertaken in the past, the views and comments expressed at the informal, non-statutory stage have contributed to and helped shape the eventual decision. In the case of the Seiriol area, a number of observations and additional options were presented during the informal consultation and these have been considered. Correspondence was also received from the schools and governing bodies of the three schools and by the Local Members. The concerns and issues expressed in these letters have been formally acknowledged by the Lifelong Learning Service and the documentation is attached to the outcome report. However, it must be noted that the points raised do not change how the options have been weighted or  scored and that the high scoring options all indicate that the criteria for change are most fully met by the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris e.g. high cost per pupil; empty places; condition of school building, school leadership capacity. The service has subsequently worked hard to formulate an option on which to statutorily consult that is clear and unambiguous.

Councillors Lewis Davies, Alun Roberts and Carwyn Jones spoke in their capacity as Local Members. They brought the following matters to the Executive’s attention –

•  That the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris would impoverish the town culturally, socially and economically. All of Wales’s 170 towns have schools – to do away with the school which has a long history in Beaumaris, would only serve to undermine the town and its future prospects.

•  That a sustainable town is a town with a school. Closure of the school will reinforce the impression of Beaumaris as an “ageing” town with a high percentage of older people. To attract and keep families and younger people who are also essential to the prosperity of the town’s core tourism industry, the school must be retained.

•  That the South Anglesey area has seen the gradual loss of a range of services. The area needs a comprehensive and integrated regeneration plan that addresses its social and economic renewal needs. The form the area’s primary education provision should take should only be considered after this has been put in place and the broader requirements of the area are clear. The proposed statutory consultation process is therefore premature.

•  That the proposals put forward are unambitious and lack vision for primary education in the Seiriol area. There is no option for a new school as has been the case with other areas where school modernisation has been consulted upon.

•  That the criteria used to develop options have shortcomings and seem to be weighted towards the closure of Ysgol Beaumaris.

•  That pupil numbers at Ysgol Beaumaris are on the up.

•  That there is no certainty should Ysgol Beaumaris close that parents will choose to send their children to either Ysgol Llandegfan or Ysgol Llangoed; they may instead choose to go out of county with a resultant loss of funding to the Authority.

•  That the views of the local community should carry equal weight and local people should be given the opportunity to develop an option based on how they see the future of the town and their experiences and knowledge of it.

The Head of Learning said the original document which was consulted upon informally confirms that the situation as regards empty places in Ysgol Beaumaris will continue at a level of between 60% an 70% until 2022 on the basis of current birth rates in the area and also after taking into account the Joint Local Development Plan which projects an additional 14 children in the area in the period.

It was resolved –

•  That the recommendation in the report on the non-statutory consultation phase in the Seiriol area be implemented.

•  To authorise Officers from the Lifelong Learning Directorate to proceed to the statutory consultation on the proposals under consideration as follows:

   •  Close Ysgol Beaumaris and for the parents of the pupils on roll at the time this decision is made by the Executive to state their preference for either Ysgol Llandegfan or Ysgol Llangoed in line with the schools’ admission policy.

   •  Review the current catchment areas of the three schools with a view to implementing any changes when Ysgol Beaumaris closes.

   •  Refurbish Ysgol Llangoed and Ysgol Llandegfan, and

   •  Consider whether to federate Ysgol Llangoed and Ysgol Llandegfan at the end of this process.

(Councillor Carwyn Jones did not vote on the matter)