Agenda, decisions and minutes

The Chair welcomed all those present to this meeting of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee convened to consider a call-in request and he outlined the way in which the business of the meeting would be conducted.

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

Declarations of interest were made as follows –

Councillor Nicola Roberts declared a personal but not prejudicial interest with regard to item 2 on the agenda as a member of the governing bodies of Ysgol Y Graig and Ysgol Talwrn.

Mr Marc Jones, Director of Function (Resources)/Section 151 Officer declared a personal but not prejudicial interest in item 2 on the agenda on account of his father in law’s membership of the Governing Body of Ysgol Talwrn.

A call–in application has been submitted by Councillors Bryan Owen,

R. Llewelyn Jones, Kenneth Hughes, Peter Rogers and Aled Morris Jones with regard to a decision made by the Executive at its meeting held on 15 March, 2021 in relation to the Objection Report in respect of Schools’ Modernisation in the Llangefni Area with reference to Ysgol Talwrn and Ysgol Y Graig.

The documentation is as follows –

·        The decision published on 16 March, 2021

·        The call-in application

·        The report by the Director of Education, Skills and Young People which was presented to the meeting of the Executive on 15 March, 2021.

A call-in application had been submitted by Councillors Bryan Owen, R. Llewelyn Jones, Kenneth Hughes, Peter Rogers and Aled Morris Jones with regard to a decision made by the Executive at its meeting held on 15 March, 2021 in relation to the Objection Report in respect of Schools’ Modernisation in the Llangefni area with reference to Ysgol Talwrn and Ysgol Y Graig which was to approve the original proposal, namely to increase the capacity of Ysgol Y Graig to accommodate Ysgol Talwrn, close Ysgol Talwrn and review the catchment areas of Ysgol Y Graig and Ysgol Talwrn.  The Executive’s decision notice, the call-in request and the report by the Director of Education, Skills and Young People to the meeting of the Executive on 15 March, 2021 incorporating the Objection Report were presented.

Councillor Bryan Owen as Lead Call-In Member, explained the reasons for calling in the decision made by the Executive on 15 March 2021 as set out in the call-in request form which were as follows –

·        The decision is being rushed in a pandemic

·        The public feel that they have not had a fair hearing, and the key proposed question being -

·        Concern about value for money

Councillor Bryan Owen said that he was making the call-in request on behalf of the parents and Governing Body of Ysgol Talwrn who are concerned about the future of their community should the proposed closure of the village school be confirmed. He referred to the school as being at the heart of community life and rural communities in turn as providing the foundation for the Welsh language to grow and prosper. As such every effort should be made to protect schools in rural communities. The community of Talwrn including parents and governors of Ysgol Talwrn also feel very strongly that the decision is being rushed through at a time when pandemic restrictions have made it difficult for them to respond appropriately. Councillor Owen emphasised that the considerations which led to the postponement of a decision on this matter in June 2020 - namely the need to respond to the crisis and to keep the people of Anglesey safe - still apply thereby raising questions about the justification for proceeding at this time. Councillor  Bryan Owen referred to the accuracy of the data used specifically the fact that there are 5 children recorded as being registered for nursery provision when there are in fact 14 children attending the Cylch Meithrin. With regard to value for money Councillor Owen suggested that rather than incur expenditure of £6m on extending Ysgol Y Graig it would make better financial sense were the proposed new Ysgol Corn Hir to be built with sufficient capacity to accommodate the pupil overspill in Llangefni and that Ysgol Talwrn be retained. Neither have details been provided regarding the location of the proposed Ysgol Y Graig extension.

Councillors Kenneth Hughes, R. Llewelyn Jones and Peter Rogers as co-signatories of the call-in request were given the opportunity to speak  ...  view the full minutes text for item 2.