Issue - meetings

To submit a report by the Director of Education, Skills and Young People.

It was RESOLVED:-

·             To approve the termination of the agreement to work in partnership with other North Wales Local Authorities in the context of the regional School Effectiveness and Improvement Service (GwE) on the 31 May, 2025 and subsequently dissolve the requirement for the GwE Joint Committee;

·             It there is slippage in the timetable, the Executive Committee gives the right to the Director of Education, Skills and Young People, in collaboration with the Education Portfolio Member, to decide on a suitable date to terminate the agreement;

·             To confirm the contractual commitment in relation to ending the arrangement.

 The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People incorporating the terminating of the GwE Partnership Agreement was presented for the Executive’s consideration.

Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education, Skills and Young People said that following a review of the responsibilities of the education partners in Wales, there is an expectation from Welsh Government to move from a wider regional way of working to a more local model.  The Transition Board has been established to oversee the arrangements for transferring GwE services back to the local authorities in North Wales.  In order to formalise the change to the partnership arrangement, all six authorities must agree to end the current arrangement, GwE services, as well as abolishing the GwE Joint Committee in order to bring GwE to an end. 

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People reported that considerable work has been undertaken to bringing the current arrangement with GwE to an end by 1^st June, 2025.  He noted that a consultation period is currently undertaken to change the structure and to work to a more local model of working. 

Members of the Executive ascertained whether assurances can be given that the schools will not be affected by the change of ending the current arrangement with GwE during the transitional period. 

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People responded that up to the period 31^st May, 2025 the support from GwE staff to schools will continue.  In the meantime, the transfer of staff from GwE into the local authorities will be undertaken. 

The Chief Executive said that this is a significant change and the full costs of the moving from the regional way of working to a more local model is yet to be confirmed.  He noted that there is a commitment, in principle, by Welsh Government to contribute to the costs. 

It was RESOLVED:-

·             To approve the termination of the agreement to work in partnership with other North Wales Local Authorities in the context of the regional School Effectiveness and Improvement Service (GwE) on the 31 May, 2025 and subsequently dissolve the requirement for the GwE Joint Committee;

·             If there is slippage in the timetable, the Executive Committee gives the right to the Director of Education, Skills and Young People, in collaboration with the Education Portfolio Member, to decide on a suitable date to terminate the agreement;

·             To confirm the contractual commitment in relation to ending the arrangement.