Agenda item

To submit a report by the Head of Regulation and Economic Development.

(Business Plan - Version 9; V6 on the Welsh agenda).

The report of the Head of Regulation and Economic Development incorporating information and supporting papers in relation to the STEM Gogledd Cymru project and its purpose was presented for the Executive’s consideration. The report sought the Executive’s approval for the Isle of Anglesey’s participation in and its contribution to the project.

The Chair reported that STEM is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in the four specific disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. STEM Gogledd is a £2,000,000 4 year project that is applying for EU financial support from ESF Priority Axis 3: Employment and Youth Achievement to increase children aged 11 to 19 years’ participation and attainment in the STEM subjects. The project will focus on North West Wales, Anglesey, Conwy and Gwynedd through a range of interventions that will complement services. The STEM Gogledd development will be led by Gwynedd Council with its joint beneficiaries being the Isle of Anglesey County Council and Conwy County Borough Council. The report summarises the project’s proposed governance arrangements and links the project to the Energy Island context further details of which are provided in Annex C to the report. The attached STEM Business Plan outlines the project’s management and delivery objectives whilst Annex B provides an overview of the project’s planned outputs.

The Portfolio Member for Major Projects and Economic Development said that investment in the STEM Gogledd project is extremely important in the context of the proposed Energy Island related developments; the project will perhaps help engage those children and young people who might not otherwise be drawn to the STEM subjects thereby coinciding with the Authority’s own education objectives. The Energy Island developments are expected to bring with them a multitude of opportunities over the course of the next few years requiring a diverse range of skills and aptitudes. In this context the STEM Gogledd project is therefore critical. In addition, there is interest in the project from the private sector, which if converted into financial support could reduce the level of match funding required of the Council.

The Vice-Chair and Portfolio Member for Service Transformation said that it should be emphasised that the objectives and lessons learnt from the STEM Gogledd project need to be incorporated within the mainstream education system so that they become an integral part of the process whereby pupils’ participation in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) are encouraged instead of being seen as something that requires additional investment. There have been previous endeavours aimed at promoting the take-up of science and technology related disciplines; the objective this time should be to ensure that the ideas encapsulated by the STEM project become embedded in mainstream education practices.

It was resolved –

•  To support and endorse the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s (IoACC) full participation in the EU funded STEM Gogledd Cymru project (to increase STEM participation and attainment amongst young people aged 11 to 19).

•  That £150,000 be allocated towards the IoACC’s contribution (£37,500 p/a for 4 years from 2018 to 2022).

•  That the Education Service be responsible for the funding, influencing delivery, outputs and reporting.

•  That the Education Service reports back on progress on a 3 monthly basis to the Education and the Regulation and Economic Development Services Portfolio Holders; on a 6 monthly basis to the Education Transformation Board and on an annual basis to Scrutiny.