Agenda and minutes

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

Councillors Jeff Evans and Keith Roberts both declared a personal interest only with regard to item 3 on the agenda as members of the Governing Body of Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi.

Councillors Pip O’Neill and Trefor Lloyd Hughes, MBE (not members of the committee) also declared a personal interest with regard to item 3 on the agenda as members of the Governing Body of Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi and Football Association of Wales respectively.

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

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People on the outcome of the public engagement on the future of post-16 education provision on Anglesey was presented for the committee’s consideration and review.

Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language presented the report explaining that the Council decided to undertake a public engagement exercise on the post-16 education provision for Anglesey conducted between 20 January and  7 March 2025. Rather than a formal consultation, the engagement was chosen because no specific proposal  was being put forward and because the Council wanted to involve a wider range of  stakeholders and foster a broader conversation to understand different perspectives and opinions. Stakeholders were invited to provide feedback on several options as noted in the report and had the opportunity to propose alternative options. In addition to the engagement survey, face to face sessions were held at the Coleg Menai campus in Llangefni and across the five secondary schools. The public engagement yielded a significant response as detailed in the engagement report.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People confirmed that the report is a key component of the Council’s commitment to reviewing  post-16 education provision, as outlined in the Council’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Strategic Outline Programme and its Modernising Learning Communities and Developing the Welsh Language Strategy.  Both documents emphasise the necessity of reassessing the current post-16 education provision model to ensure it is sustainable, efficient and responsive to learners’ experiences. The report also highlights current challenges within the sector including class sizes, demographic changes and financial viability. A majority of respondents (54%) in the engagement exercise expressed support for a review of post-16 education provision, with the preferred option being Option 2 – to further develop a closer working relationship between the existing providers. Respondents identified several priorities  for the future of post-16 provision including local accessibility, the quality of teaching and the availability of subject choices locally. Considering the feedback from the public engagement, the committee is recommended to support Option 2 as the most appropriate way forward and authorise officers to prepare a strategic plan to this end. The plan will also aim to address or mitigate current challenges in post-16 education provision on Anglesey while strengthening post-16 learner entitlement and experience. This vision aligns with the broader ambition of ensuring the highest possible quality of education on the Island for current and future generations.

In reviewing the engagement report the committee discussed the following matters –

·      Members sought clarification on what a closer working relationship between existing providers would entail, the benefits of this approach and whether it would result in additional costs.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People explained that  the Council is looking forward to working with schools, the college, parents and learners to develop a framework for closer co-operation. A variety of ideas emerged from the public engagement and the Council is committed to bringing the stakeholders together to create a strategic plan to address  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.

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

The report of the Director of Education, Skills and Young People which sought the committee’s views on the proposal  to relocate Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi learners to a new school building for 11-18 year old learners and conduct a statutory consultation was presented for consideration.

Councillor Dafydd Roberts, Portfolio Member for Education and the Welsh Language presented the report and the proposal as an exciting prospect for both Holyhead and the Island.  He highlighted the condition of the Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi building which although operational, requires major repairs or replacement in the short to medium term. The presence of RAAC in much of the school buildings means the situation needs to be addressed in the short term. While remedial work has been carried out to make the school safe, a long-term solution is essential. The proposal paper sets out the outcome of work to explore a range of potential future options for Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi and has been drafted in accordance with the expectations of the revised School Organisation Code (011/2018).  Given that the requirements on schools have evolved significantly in recent years the proposal to relocate Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi to a new school building is considered the most effective solution to address the challenges facing the school. The committee is therefore asked to support the proposal and the commencement of a statutory consultation on the matter.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People provided an overview of the proposal paper affirming that it complies with the revised School Organisation Code and aligns with the Council’s commitment to improving schools and creating  modern learning environments that support communities and the Welsh language. The proposal involves relocating Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi learners to a new school specifically designed for the 11- 18 age range with capacity for 900 pupils. In developing the proposal the Council considered a number of factors as outlined in the paper with the primary driver being the condition of the current school building - classified as Grade C (operational but in need of major repair or replacement in the short to medium term). The current and projected future maintenance costs for the existing school building amount to nearly £29m. While a range of alternative options for the future of Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi were considered, as detailed in section 6 of the report, relocating the school’s learners to a new purpose built school for 11-18 year olds is the preferred option. The cost implications are set out in section 7 of the report.

The Director of Education, Skills and Young People described the proposal as an opportunity to establish a modern, fit -for-purpose school while addressing the challenges facing Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi, particularly the RAAC issue. Additionally the proposal has the potential to generate  long-term savings in repair and maintenance costs over the next 25 years. It also aligns with the objectives of the Strategic Outline Plan. Under the revised School Organisation Code, relocating a school to a site more than a mile away from the current site  ...  view the full minutes text for item 3.