Agenda and minutes

In the absence of the Chair, Councillor Douglas Fowlie, the meeting was chaired by the Vice-Chair, Councillor Dyfed Wyn Jones.  Councillor Ieuan Williams was elected to serve as Vice-Chair of the Committee for this meeting only.

To receive any declaration of interest by any Member or Officer in respect of any item of business.

No declaration of interest was received.

To present the report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People.

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People setting out a proposal to transfer pupils from Ysgol Carreglefn to Ysgol Llanfechell and close Ysgol Carreglefn was presented for the Committee’s consideration and scrutiny.

The report was introduced by Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language who said that the Committee is being asked to scrutinise and to forward its views to the Executive on the proposal to transfer pupils from Ysgol Carreglefn to Ysgol Llanfechell and close Ysgol Carreglefn, the recommendation to the Executive that Officers be authorised to publish a statutory notice on the proposal along with the recommendation that Officers be authorised to hold discussions with the community about securing the long term viability of the present school building as a community resource.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People summarised the basis for the proposal saying that the paper presents the outcome of work undertaken to look at a range of options for the future of Ysgol Carreglefn for the following reasons –

·      Ysgol Carreglefn has the highest cost per pupil of all Wales primary schools at £17,200 per pupil which is over three times higher than the average cost per pupil for Anglesey at £5,240.

·      Ysgol Carreglefn has 80% surplus places with 9 pupils currently attending the school, 4 of whom are in Year 6. The school’s forecast predicts 5 or fewer pupils attending the school from September 2024 onwards.

·      Ysgol Carreglefn has the second highest carbon emissions per pupil of all Anglesey’s primary schools at 1,167kgCO2e per pupil compared to the average of 217kgCO2e per pupil.

·      There is a current and projected future maintenance cost of £317,350 at Ysgol Carreglefn.

·      All pupils at Ysgol Carreglefn are taught in a single class with pupils aged 4-11 being taught together which can create challenges in meeting their different needs.

·      Ysgol Carreglefn has had difficulty in appointing a headteacher and currently shares a headteacher with another school.

As Ysgol Carreglefn has fewer than 10 registered pupils at the 2024 January Census Point the School Organisation Code allows local authorities to undertake a streamlined procedure to bring about official closure consisting solely of the issuing of a notice of closure with the requirement to conduct a general consultation being waived. Should the proposal be approved by the Executive a statutory notice of closure will be issued, following which there will be a 28-day objection period running from 1 March to 1 April 2024. An objection report will subsequently be drafted and presented to the relevant committee(s) before a final decision is made. If a decision is made to close Ysgol Carreglefn then the closure would become effective in August 2024 and pupils from Ysgol Carreglefn would transfer to Ysgol Llanfechell from September 2024.

Acknowledging that the proposed closure of a school is a difficult prospect, the Committee sought clarification and assurances with regard to the following matters in considering the proposal –

·      The position with regard to the school’s  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.