Latest news with #RebeccaPenn
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.
CBC
21-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Drug alert issued for powerful opioid detected for first time in N.S.
A warning has been issued about the discovery of a powerful drug that's never been previously detected in Nova Scotia's illegal drug stream. It's the second similar public alert posted online by the Nova Scotia Health Authority within the last month. RCMP found N-Pyrrolidino metonitazene, a synthetic opioid known as "brown sugar," during a search they conducted in December in the Amherst, N.S., area as part of an investigation into a stolen dirt bike, an RCMP spokesperson said. Testing at the national drug analysis service laboratory recently confirmed the sample also contained a mix of fentanyl, cocaine, caffeine and a tranquillizer. The drug was also identified in Quebec and Ontario earlier this month. The alert described the drug's appearance as a "brownish rock" with a grainy texture. Rebecca Penn, a harm reduction consultant with Nova Scotia Health, said the opioid is twice as powerful as fentanyl, and warned that mixing opioids and a tranquillizer can slow a person's breathing and heart rate, which can lead to a fatal overdose. Penn said naloxone can counter the effects of the opioid, but more than one dose may be required. However, because naloxone is not effective against cocaine and tranquillizers, she said people should contact emergency services immediately if someone appears to be overdosing. "We have to assume that we don't really know what's going on with what's in the substance that we're consuming," she said. "When you get something from the unregulated supply, there's no label. And so you have no idea what it contains." 'Another crisis' in the province Four Nova Scotians have died from opioid overdoses in 2025, based on preliminary data from the province. Last year, there were 69 confirmed and probable opioid toxicity deaths in Nova Scotia. "This is another crisis that's unfolding in our province," Penn said. Ashley Legere, executive director of the Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association, said the newly found opioid is only one of the drugs on the streets of her community. "Dead people don't get the chance to recover," Legere said. "We want to make sure that every one of our community members gets to stay alive and that we get to support them." Cpl. Troy Gill of Cumberland County RCMP said police are uncertain if this specific drug arrived from New Brunswick but some of Amherst's illegal drug supply does come from that province because of the town's proximity to the border. "Our officers have to be vigilant and the community as well," Gill said. "If they come across these drugs, they must not touch them and they call the authorities right away because of the potency of them." RCMP made the initial drug seizure late last year as part of a search after they arrested a man in the Amherst area in relation to a dirt bike that had previously been reported stolen. Jesse Parlee, 32, of Moncton, N.B., was charged with a slew of offences. He appeared in Amherst provincial court on Feb. 5 and received a sentence of four years in relation to the charges, RCMP confirmed Monday.
