Agenda item

(a)       Councilor Sarah Merry (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Employment, Skills) will be in attendance and may wish to make a statement.

(b)       Nick Batchelar, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, Jackie Turner, Assistant Director Education and Lifelong Learning will present the report and answer Members’ questions;

(c)       Questions from Committee members;

(d)       The way forward for this item will be considered at the end of the meeting

The Chairperson welcomed Councillor Sarah Merry (Cabinet Member Education, Employment & Skills), Nick Batchelar (Director, Education and Lifelong Learning) and Janine Nightingale (Head of Schools Organisation Access and Planning) to the meeting. 

The Chairperson invited the Cabinet Member to make a statement in she made reference to the review of the school estate and the challenges that are currently been faced; the growing pressure on secondary schools; the need to develop provision to meet Additional Learning Needs; and the Local Development Plan and major housing sites.

Members were invited to comment, seek clarification or raise questions on the information received.  Those discussions are summarised as follows:

• Members sought clarification as to whether or not there is to be a guaranteed maintenance plan in place for any newly built schools bearing in mind the maintenance difficulties faced in a number of schools and were advised that it will be addressed to some extent within the Band B funding.  The maintenance of the school estate has to be a priority.

• Members were advised that the projected over subscription of secondary school places by September 2019 is currently being addressed – there are new schools being built, there may be capacity in different school areas and where schools are currently full temporary measures may need to be available.

• Members requested information as to the severity of the picture regarding schools places after September 2019 and were advised that whilst there had been big changes in the primary school cohort; whilst 3100 left high school this year and 4300 joined that figure has not changes since last year. Both high schools and primary schools are planned for the areas where there are new housing developments planned, for example the proposed development in the Radyr area will have a new high school and 5 new primary schools.  The Director advised that one pupils are in the system the numbers can be tracked and projected however, Cardiff does have a high rate of in year admissions.  It is anticipated that there will also be an additional 290 places for pupils with autism spectrum conditions, complex learning needs, and behaviour emotional and social needs required.

• Members were advised that a further report will be prepared for Cabinet once the funding arrangements have been finalised which will address the concerns about provision for those with additional learning needs and any adaptions to existing provision.  The Director indicated that ALN provision is something which needs to be addressed as quickly as possible and certainly during this academic year. 

• Members noted that the nature and amount of funding from Welsh Government is to be available by the end of this year

• Members sought information about the Mutual Investment Model (MIM) and were advised that it had been introduced by Welsh Government as an alternative means of funding Band B. Members were advised that the governance of that model would be key; it is an expensive way for the public sector to build new schools and that any school would have to be operating and virtually 100% capacity throughout the whole of the schools life.  The preference for Cardiff would be the capital option bearing in mind the logistical concerns with MIM, particularly how quickly schools could be built. 

• Members queried the prognosis for the 3 Cat D condition schools; Cantonian, Fitzalan and Willows High Schools and were advised that there is a commitment to remove all Cat D condition schools from Wales.  However, there is a recognition that new schools will not be delivered until 2021 if funded by the Band B capital route.  Therefore during that time the schools have to be compliant and safe.  £5m has been spent on those schools ensuring that and there are now co-funded estate managers in the schools deemed at most risk.  There will be an open dialogue and regular updates on the condition of those buildings.  It is anticipated that more funding may be required.  Members noted that the Cat D schools will be demolished eventually.

• The Director advised Members that until there is certainty about funding; the scale and funding route no decisions can be made about new schools for those areas.

• Members queried whether there is more scope to be more ambitious about Welsh language provision.  The Director advised that there is a commitment to expand Welsh language provision and certainly there has been expansion through Band B.  There is currently 86% occupancy in Welsh medium primary schools, which is higher than English medium schools.

• Interim measures are being considered going forward to address the issues with school places, Members queried how creative are those measures likely to be and whether MIM could address the maintenance issues.  Members were advised that until such times as the funding position, both the type and amount, have been clarified no detailed plans for any interim can be formulated.  MIM schemes will not attract companies unless they have ownership of the provision – it is a vehicle to deliver new buildings.

• Members asked Officers how they felt this Scrutiny could help support this journey and were advised that education is not a political football; there needs to be open and transparent debate particularly about the difficult investment decisions that need to be made going forward.

AGREED – That the Chairperson, on behalf of the Committee, writes to the Cabinet Member conveying the observations of the Committee when discussing the Way Forward.