Latest news with #DeanTaylor
Pembrokeshire Herald
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Carmarthenshire schools launch food waste monitoring initiative
Union demands answers over fate of Welsh Government funding SCHOOL leaders from Wales will this week call on their colleagues across the UK to support efforts to prevent children in Welsh schools from being 'short-changed'. At NAHT's annual conference in Harrogate, leaders will raise concerns that additional funding received by the Welsh Government for education may not be reaching schools – or even being spent on education at all. The funding in question, known as 'consequential' money, is triggered by additional education spending by the UK Government under the Barnett Formula, such as the commitments announced in last autumn's budget. However, NAHT Cymru says it has been unable to confirm whether any of the extra funding received by the Welsh Government has reached schools, despite lodging Freedom of Information requests with officials in both Wales and England. At the same time, many headteachers in Wales are struggling to set budgets without making painful cuts, including to staffing. A recent NAHT Cymru survey found more than half (53%) of schools predicted they would be in deficit this academic year. Dean Taylor, headteacher at Pentrepoeth Primary School in Bassaleg near Newport, will urge delegates at the conference to back a motion calling for education funding in Wales to be ring-fenced. The motion states that 'education consequential funding should be ring-fenced for spending on education at Welsh Government and local authority levels, ensuring that children and young people in Wales are not short-changed.' It calls on NAHT's national executive to use its bargaining and lobbying strength to demand that all education consequentials received by the Welsh Government are spent transparently and equitably across Wales. The motion is seconded by Rebecca Penn, headteacher at Charles Williams Church in Wales Primary School in Caerleon. Laura Doel, NAHT Cymru's national secretary, said: 'At a time when schools are contemplating deficit budgets, cutting pupil spending, and making staff redundant, they deserve answers from the Welsh Government about the destination of this extra funding. 'Without transparency, there will inevitably be suspicions that this money is not reaching schools. If that is the case, it will be even harder for schools to provide the education children deserve.' Another motion, proposed by Kerina Hanson, NAHT Cymru's vice president and headteacher at Pennard Primary School near Swansea, calls for the union to campaign for the reintroduction of the Small and Rural Schools Grant. The motion states: 'Small and rural schools are an integral part of the education system in Wales. For many communities across the nation, the school is the heart of that town or village. 'The Welsh Government's Community Schools Initiative sits at odds with the reality that small and rural schools are not fairly funded or valued.' It argues that restoring the grant would help ensure small schools are properly supported during discussions about school reorganisation, prioritising the educational experience of learners. A third motion, proposed by NAHT Cymru president Dafydd Jones, headteacher at Ysgol Melyd in Prestatyn, urges the union's executive to lobby the Welsh Government to fully implement the 26 recommendations made by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body last year. So far, only seven recommendations have been actioned, with key measures – including protected leave for school leaders and better pay and non-contact time for additional learning needs coordinators (ALNCOs) – still outstanding. The motion also calls for a fit-for-purpose school improvement service, maximising frontline funding and learner impact, following the Welsh Government's commitment to review the middle tier consortia, which it describes as 'overly bureaucratic.' NAHT's conference will take place on Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May.
Pembrokeshire Herald
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
School leaders raise alarm over missing education cash
Union demands answers over fate of Welsh Government funding SCHOOL leaders from Wales will this week call on their colleagues across the UK to support efforts to prevent children in Welsh schools from being 'short-changed'. At NAHT's annual conference in Harrogate, leaders will raise concerns that additional funding received by the Welsh Government for education may not be reaching schools – or even being spent on education at all. The funding in question, known as 'consequential' money, is triggered by additional education spending by the UK Government under the Barnett Formula, such as the commitments announced in last autumn's budget. However, NAHT Cymru says it has been unable to confirm whether any of the extra funding received by the Welsh Government has reached schools, despite lodging Freedom of Information requests with officials in both Wales and England. At the same time, many headteachers in Wales are struggling to set budgets without making painful cuts, including to staffing. A recent NAHT Cymru survey found more than half (53%) of schools predicted they would be in deficit this academic year. Dean Taylor, headteacher at Pentrepoeth Primary School in Bassaleg near Newport, will urge delegates at the conference to back a motion calling for education funding in Wales to be ring-fenced. The motion states that 'education consequential funding should be ring-fenced for spending on education at Welsh Government and local authority levels, ensuring that children and young people in Wales are not short-changed.' It calls on NAHT's national executive to use its bargaining and lobbying strength to demand that all education consequentials received by the Welsh Government are spent transparently and equitably across Wales. The motion is seconded by Rebecca Penn, headteacher at Charles Williams Church in Wales Primary School in Caerleon. Laura Doel, NAHT Cymru's national secretary, said: 'At a time when schools are contemplating deficit budgets, cutting pupil spending, and making staff redundant, they deserve answers from the Welsh Government about the destination of this extra funding. 'Without transparency, there will inevitably be suspicions that this money is not reaching schools. If that is the case, it will be even harder for schools to provide the education children deserve.' Another motion, proposed by Kerina Hanson, NAHT Cymru's vice president and headteacher at Pennard Primary School near Swansea, calls for the union to campaign for the reintroduction of the Small and Rural Schools Grant. The motion states: 'Small and rural schools are an integral part of the education system in Wales. For many communities across the nation, the school is the heart of that town or village. 'The Welsh Government's Community Schools Initiative sits at odds with the reality that small and rural schools are not fairly funded or valued.' It argues that restoring the grant would help ensure small schools are properly supported during discussions about school reorganisation, prioritising the educational experience of learners. A third motion, proposed by NAHT Cymru president Dafydd Jones, headteacher at Ysgol Melyd in Prestatyn, urges the union's executive to lobby the Welsh Government to fully implement the 26 recommendations made by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body last year. So far, only seven recommendations have been actioned, with key measures – including protected leave for school leaders and better pay and non-contact time for additional learning needs coordinators (ALNCOs) – still outstanding. The motion also calls for a fit-for-purpose school improvement service, maximising frontline funding and learner impact, following the Welsh Government's commitment to review the middle tier consortia, which it describes as 'overly bureaucratic.' NAHT's conference will take place on Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May.
Pembrokeshire Herald
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
New £1m fund to boost Welsh tourism come rain or shine
Union demands answers over fate of Welsh Government funding SCHOOL leaders from Wales will this week call on their colleagues across the UK to support efforts to prevent children in Welsh schools from being 'short-changed'. At NAHT's annual conference in Harrogate, leaders will raise concerns that additional funding received by the Welsh Government for education may not be reaching schools – or even being spent on education at all. The funding in question, known as 'consequential' money, is triggered by additional education spending by the UK Government under the Barnett Formula, such as the commitments announced in last autumn's budget. However, NAHT Cymru says it has been unable to confirm whether any of the extra funding received by the Welsh Government has reached schools, despite lodging Freedom of Information requests with officials in both Wales and England. At the same time, many headteachers in Wales are struggling to set budgets without making painful cuts, including to staffing. A recent NAHT Cymru survey found more than half (53%) of schools predicted they would be in deficit this academic year. Dean Taylor, headteacher at Pentrepoeth Primary School in Bassaleg near Newport, will urge delegates at the conference to back a motion calling for education funding in Wales to be ring-fenced. The motion states that 'education consequential funding should be ring-fenced for spending on education at Welsh Government and local authority levels, ensuring that children and young people in Wales are not short-changed.' It calls on NAHT's national executive to use its bargaining and lobbying strength to demand that all education consequentials received by the Welsh Government are spent transparently and equitably across Wales. The motion is seconded by Rebecca Penn, headteacher at Charles Williams Church in Wales Primary School in Caerleon. Laura Doel, NAHT Cymru's national secretary, said: 'At a time when schools are contemplating deficit budgets, cutting pupil spending, and making staff redundant, they deserve answers from the Welsh Government about the destination of this extra funding. 'Without transparency, there will inevitably be suspicions that this money is not reaching schools. If that is the case, it will be even harder for schools to provide the education children deserve.' Another motion, proposed by Kerina Hanson, NAHT Cymru's vice president and headteacher at Pennard Primary School near Swansea, calls for the union to campaign for the reintroduction of the Small and Rural Schools Grant. The motion states: 'Small and rural schools are an integral part of the education system in Wales. For many communities across the nation, the school is the heart of that town or village. 'The Welsh Government's Community Schools Initiative sits at odds with the reality that small and rural schools are not fairly funded or valued.' It argues that restoring the grant would help ensure small schools are properly supported during discussions about school reorganisation, prioritising the educational experience of learners. A third motion, proposed by NAHT Cymru president Dafydd Jones, headteacher at Ysgol Melyd in Prestatyn, urges the union's executive to lobby the Welsh Government to fully implement the 26 recommendations made by the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body last year. So far, only seven recommendations have been actioned, with key measures – including protected leave for school leaders and better pay and non-contact time for additional learning needs coordinators (ALNCOs) – still outstanding. The motion also calls for a fit-for-purpose school improvement service, maximising frontline funding and learner impact, following the Welsh Government's commitment to review the middle tier consortia, which it describes as 'overly bureaucratic.' NAHT's conference will take place on Friday 2 May and Saturday 3 May.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Yahoo
Messages reveal prison staff violence towards inmates
Leaked messages show prison staff at a Welsh prison laughing at violent encounters with inmates and making fun of self-harm incidents. In them, one staff member at privately run HMP Parc in Bridgend responded to a complaint about an inmate and said: "The prisoners need to be broken mentally and physically." It is understood the messages, seen by the BBC, were shared on social media last summer. G4S, which runs HMP Parc, said it had a "zero tolerance" approach to staff behaviour that fell short of its standards. Death-hit prison's excessive force messages probed Drugs smuggled in drones and nappies - prison boss Protestors demand 'justice' after prison deaths In the messages, one exchange about an inmate said: "XXX opened the door and they smashed him into the shower lol." A response to the message said: "Good! I hope they hurt him too." A separate exchange used an expletive to describe punching an inmate "after he bit me so there's some closure", along with a laughing emoji. Other messages included jokes about someone who was said to be at risk of taking their life and another offender who was seriously self-harming. Some 17 inmates are known to have died at Parc in 2024 - more than any other prison. In a letter to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee in October 2024, Prisons Minister James Timpson said the prison service's corruption unit was looking at the prison. Last September, four of the prison's custody officers were arrested on suspicion of assault and misconduct in public office following reports of a series of incidents at HMP Parc. All four have been released without charge, South Wales Police told the BBC. The force said an additional arrest phase took place in January 2025 following the four arrests. A 36-year-old man from Llanelli has been released under investigation, while a 35-year-old man from Bridgend, 40-year-old man from Swansea, 38-year-old man from Barry, 50-year-old man from Taibach and a 23-year-old woman from Cardiff have all been bailed for further inquiries until the end of April 2025. South Wales Police Det Ch Insp Dean Taylor said: "The investigation remains ongoing, and officers are continuing to work closely with G4S." A G4S spokesperson said: "Of the four individuals who were arrested and released without charge by South Wales Police, three have been dismissed from the company and one remains suspended from duty pending the outcome of a disciplinary process. "The vast majority of our staff are hardworking and honest. We are absolutely committed to rooting out any wrongdoing." In response to the messages, G4S added: "Our staff are expected to treat everyone with dignity and respect and we have a zero tolerance approach to dealing with any staff behaviour that falls short of our standards." Violence, overcrowding, self-harm: BBC goes inside one of Britain's most dangerous prisons Prisoners to be held in police cells to deal with overcrowding UK looks at Texas supermax prison for ideas to cut overcrowding
BBC News
01-04-2025
- BBC News
HMP Parc: Messages reveal Bridgend prison staff violence towards inmates
Leaked messages show prison staff at a Welsh prison laughing at violent encounters with inmates and making fun of self-harm them, one staff member at privately-run HMP Parc in Bridgend responded to a complaint about an inmate and said: "The prisoners need to be broken mentally and physically".It is understood the messages, seen by the BBC, were shared on social media last summer.G4S, which runs HMP Parc, said it had a "zero tolerance" approach to staff behaviour that fell short of its standards. In the messages, one exchange about an inmate said: "XXX opened the door and they smashed him into the shower lol".A response to the message said: "Good! I hope they hurt him too".A separate exchange used an expletive to describe punching an inmate "after he bit me so there's some closure", along with a laughing messages included jokes about someone who was said to be at risk of taking their life and another offender who was seriously self-harming. Some 17 inmates are known to have died at Parc in 2024 - more than any other a letter to the Justice and Home Affairs Committee in October 2024, Prisons Minister James Timpson said the prison service's corruption unit was looking at the September, four of the prison's custody officers were arrested on suspicion of assault and misconduct in public office following reports of a series of incidents at HMP four have been released without charge, South Wales Police told the force said an additional arrest phase took place in January 2025 following the four arrests.A 36-year-old man from Llanelli has been released under investigation, while a 35-year-old man from Bridgend, 40-year-old man from Swansea, 38-year-old man from Barry, 50-year-old man from Taibach and a 23-year-old woman from Cardiff have all been bailed for further inquiries until the end of April 2025. South Wales Police Det Ch Insp Dean Taylor said: "The investigation remains ongoing, and officers are continuing to work closely with G4S."A G4S spokesperson said: "Of the four individuals who were arrested and released without charge by South Wales Police, three have been dismissed from the company and one remains suspended from duty pending the outcome of a disciplinary process."The vast majority of our staff are hardworking and honest. We are absolutely committed to rooting out any wrongdoing."In response to the messages, G4S added: "Our staff are expected to treat everyone with dignity and respect and we have a zero tolerance approach to dealing with any staff behaviour that falls short of our standards."
