Latest news with #WESP
Western Telegraph
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Pembrokeshire schools choice costs report expected in autumn
A question submitted to the July meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council by independent group leader Cllr Huw Murphy asked: 'Cabinet on April 28 passed a recommendation requesting additional information be collected from parents electing Welsh medium education for their children following a debate on Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP). 'This Cabinet decision was subject of a successful call-in by the Schools O&S Committee on May 14. During the Schools O&S meeting the additional cost to PCC of collecting the information requested by Cabinet was raised, at which time Mr Huw Jones informed Scrutiny that the Schools Admission Team was only one person and to collect the additional information would necessitate the team being increased by at least one person. 'Cabinet on May 21, following the successful call-in, amended their Cabinet decision of April 28 to now request additional information be collected from parents of children electing both Welsh and also English medium education. 'Can the Cabinet Lead for Education please inform elected members what the financial implications (cost) will be for PCC in collecting this additional information from parents electing both a Welsh and English medium education for their Children, to include pension and NIC contributions if additional staff will be required to comply with decision of Cabinet on April 28 and then May 21?' Responding, Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Cllr Guy Woodham said Cabinet was yet to receive a direct proposal and was difficult, as yet, to quantify any costs to the council. 'The Director of Education has given an assurance that the Cabinet request will be fully explored,' said Cllr Woodham, adding a report was expected in the autumn, which he expected would cover any financial implications.
Wales Online
11-07-2025
- General
- Wales Online
Preferred location of a new Welsh medium school in Merthyr revealed
Preferred location of a new Welsh medium school in Merthyr revealed Cabinet members have given their backing for a new build on the Goetre Primary School site (Image: Google ) The preferred location of a new Welsh medium school in Merthyr Tydfil has received the backing of council cabinet members A report approved by the council's cabinet on Wednesday, July 9, says the preferred way forward for the permanent siting of the new Welsh-medium seedling school is a new-build school on the current Goetre Primary site for 210 pupils and it also includes a temporary solution to use the St Aloysius campus, once it is vacated, from September, 2027, until the new building is ready. The local authority has been set a target by Welsh Government to increase the number of learners accessing Welsh-medium education in year one of primary education to between 22% and 26% of the total year one cohort by 2031. In January, 2020, there were 100 year one pupils attending Welsh-medium schools, which was around 14% of the total cohort of pupils in year one. To meet the Welsh Government target, based on current pupil projections, it is estimated that between 144 and 170 pupils will need to be in year one Welsh-medium primary education by January, 2031, the cabinet report said. There are currently two longstanding Welsh-medium primary schools within Merthyr Tydfil which are Ysgol Gymraeg Santes Tudful serving the north and centre of the borough and Ysgol Gymraeg Rhyd Y Grug serving the south of the borough. Article continues below The report said officers had undertaken extensive work to identify the most suitable permanent location for the third Welsh-medium seedling school to fulfil the ambition to increase the number of children educated through the medium of Welsh. There were three school sites identified as viable options and consideration has been given to proximity to the cylch meithrin in Gurnos, cost, and achievability of each option. In total, five options were shortlisted which included refurbishing St Aloysius primary campus for 210 pupils plus nursery, refurbishing St Illtyd's primary campus for 210 pupils plus nursery, refurbishing Goetre Primary School for 210 pupils, a new-build primary on the Goetre Primary School site for 210 pupils plus nursery, and a new-build primary on the Goetre Primary School site for 420 pupils plus nursery. To get all the latest Merthyr Tydfil news straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here. Following evaluation of the options, the preferred option is the fourth option which is for a new-build 210-place school on the current Goetre Primary site. The reason given is that it provides 'sufficient pupil places to meet the WESP targets, without creating unnecessary surplus places, in a building designed to Building Bulletin Guidance with optimal condition and sufficiency'. This option also retains the potential for further development to a 420-place school at some time in the future if the demand for places supports a larger school being built, the report said. The report added that it was likely that completion of a new school building for the seedling school would be September, 2032, at the earliest so an interim solution for the Welsh medium seedling school is needed to ensure that the school can accommodate the projected growth in pupil numbers until at least 2032. Three options were considered for this and the option to refurbish St Aloysius primary campus by 2027 to improve the teaching and learning environment is the preferred option. It was deemed to provide best value for money as it provides sufficient building and site space for 160 pupils and would result in improved condition following a light refurbishment. The anticipated cost for the new-build Welsh medium seedling school is £12.35m with £8.25m coming from Welsh Government and £4.1m from the council. The Welsh Government has approved £3.2m towards refurbishing St Aloysius and for improvement works to Safle'r Gurnos, a satellite of Ysgol Santes Tudful. Cabinet member for education, Councillor Gareth Lewis, said it was not just about new infrastructure but is a clear demonstration of the commitment to the Welsh language. Article continues below He said it gave families a better choice and gave children the opportunity to learn through the medium of Welsh.
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Welsh Government unveils plan to strengthen protections for ancient woodlands
AN UNSUCCESSFUL call for no confidence in Pembrokeshire's deputy leader has been labelled 'an abuse of a democratic forum for personal promotion,' but its instigator has said he has no regrets. At an extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on June 2, Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy called for no confidence in Councillor Paul Miller to remain as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member. Cllr Murphy had made the call, which was ultimately unsuccessful, partly due to comments made by Cllr Miller at an April meeting of the council's Cabinet in which he moved an amendment with regards to Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP) to request officers collect data from parents of children electing a Welsh medium education. A bone of contention for Cllr Murphy was when Cllr Miller commented with regards to parental choice for Welsh medium school Ysgol Caer Elen: '…all of them that I know who send their children to Caer Ellen honestly couldn't give a toss whether it was Welsh or English'. 'Comments such as this in 2025 are unacceptable and serve to create a perception of bias when it comes to the delivery of Welsh medium education, something that generations have striven for, namely equality and fairness,' Cllr Murphy has previously said. 'For a Deputy Leader of Council to make such comments and then refuse to retract when he has had ample opportunity to do so makes his position untenable both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member. The matter was reported to the Welsh Language Commissioner and was called in to the May Schools O&S Scrutiny Committee, ultimately returning to a May 21 meeting of the Cabinet, hearing a proposal by Cllr Miller to now collect data on all languages and additional information, before the special extraordinary meeting of June 2. Responding at the special meeting, Cllr Miller repeated previously made comments, saying there had never been an intention to collect the information through a formal schools process. He reiterated the 'couldn't give a toss' comment was one made by a mother in his ward which he had repeated, apologising if he had caused upset. He added: 'I believe Cllr Murphy should be deeply ashamed of his actions, he is trying to create division in the county of Pembrokeshire where no division exists,' adding: 'To suggest that either I personally or the administration is anti-Welsh is simply not true.' He was not the only one to take umbrage at Cllr Murphy's call, with Conservative Group Leader Cllr Di Clements saying: 'This is nothing more than petty political point scoring which we want no part of,' and council leader Cllr Jon Harvey saying it was 'creating division where none exists and political opportunism at its worst.' The no confidence call in Cllr Miller was defeated by 28 votes to 16, with 11 abstentions. There are 11 Conservative Group members in the council. Commenting after the meeting, Plaid Cymru county councillor for Tenby, Cllr Michael Williams who said he 'in no way condoned Cllr Miller's comments,' described the meeting as 'a complete waste of time and money'. He added: 'Cllr Murphy seems to think Local Government is a game and submitted absolutely no arguments to support his motion.' He went on to describe it as 'a pathetic waste of time,' saying: 'I hope lessons will be learnt, but I doubt they will. It amounted to an abuse of a democratic forum for personal promotion.' Cllr Murphy said he still felt he had made the right call, saying Cllr Miller 'never once showed contrition for his comments'. He added: 'The fact Cabinet have now been compelled to amend their position through the call-in and Welsh Language Commissioner's intervention shows the value of these challenges as otherwise Cllr Miller would be requesting data from less than 20 per cent of Neyland parents for wishing to send their children to Caer Elen over the 80 per cent sending their children to Haverfordwest High or Milford Haven which would suggest clear bias against Welsh medium education. 'As Leader of Independent Group I have no regrets in requesting a call in and then an EGM and if such behaviour is repeated by Cabinet members it won't be the last time such a meeting is requested under the constitution. Neither did we canvass support from any other political group.' He finished: 'The fact the Conservative Group, through abstaining, threw Cllr Miller a lifeline will not be lost on Pembrokeshire voters who will draw their own conclusions on such a decision where the Conservatives have effectively supported Labour and the administration on this issue.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Hayscastle Cross housing approved after five-year wait
AN UNSUCCESSFUL call for no confidence in Pembrokeshire's deputy leader has been labelled 'an abuse of a democratic forum for personal promotion,' but its instigator has said he has no regrets. At an extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on June 2, Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy called for no confidence in Councillor Paul Miller to remain as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member. Cllr Murphy had made the call, which was ultimately unsuccessful, partly due to comments made by Cllr Miller at an April meeting of the council's Cabinet in which he moved an amendment with regards to Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP) to request officers collect data from parents of children electing a Welsh medium education. A bone of contention for Cllr Murphy was when Cllr Miller commented with regards to parental choice for Welsh medium school Ysgol Caer Elen: '…all of them that I know who send their children to Caer Ellen honestly couldn't give a toss whether it was Welsh or English'. 'Comments such as this in 2025 are unacceptable and serve to create a perception of bias when it comes to the delivery of Welsh medium education, something that generations have striven for, namely equality and fairness,' Cllr Murphy has previously said. 'For a Deputy Leader of Council to make such comments and then refuse to retract when he has had ample opportunity to do so makes his position untenable both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member. The matter was reported to the Welsh Language Commissioner and was called in to the May Schools O&S Scrutiny Committee, ultimately returning to a May 21 meeting of the Cabinet, hearing a proposal by Cllr Miller to now collect data on all languages and additional information, before the special extraordinary meeting of June 2. Responding at the special meeting, Cllr Miller repeated previously made comments, saying there had never been an intention to collect the information through a formal schools process. He reiterated the 'couldn't give a toss' comment was one made by a mother in his ward which he had repeated, apologising if he had caused upset. He added: 'I believe Cllr Murphy should be deeply ashamed of his actions, he is trying to create division in the county of Pembrokeshire where no division exists,' adding: 'To suggest that either I personally or the administration is anti-Welsh is simply not true.' He was not the only one to take umbrage at Cllr Murphy's call, with Conservative Group Leader Cllr Di Clements saying: 'This is nothing more than petty political point scoring which we want no part of,' and council leader Cllr Jon Harvey saying it was 'creating division where none exists and political opportunism at its worst.' The no confidence call in Cllr Miller was defeated by 28 votes to 16, with 11 abstentions. There are 11 Conservative Group members in the council. Commenting after the meeting, Plaid Cymru county councillor for Tenby, Cllr Michael Williams who said he 'in no way condoned Cllr Miller's comments,' described the meeting as 'a complete waste of time and money'. He added: 'Cllr Murphy seems to think Local Government is a game and submitted absolutely no arguments to support his motion.' He went on to describe it as 'a pathetic waste of time,' saying: 'I hope lessons will be learnt, but I doubt they will. It amounted to an abuse of a democratic forum for personal promotion.' Cllr Murphy said he still felt he had made the right call, saying Cllr Miller 'never once showed contrition for his comments'. He added: 'The fact Cabinet have now been compelled to amend their position through the call-in and Welsh Language Commissioner's intervention shows the value of these challenges as otherwise Cllr Miller would be requesting data from less than 20 per cent of Neyland parents for wishing to send their children to Caer Elen over the 80 per cent sending their children to Haverfordwest High or Milford Haven which would suggest clear bias against Welsh medium education. 'As Leader of Independent Group I have no regrets in requesting a call in and then an EGM and if such behaviour is repeated by Cabinet members it won't be the last time such a meeting is requested under the constitution. Neither did we canvass support from any other political group.' He finished: 'The fact the Conservative Group, through abstaining, threw Cllr Miller a lifeline will not be lost on Pembrokeshire voters who will draw their own conclusions on such a decision where the Conservatives have effectively supported Labour and the administration on this issue.'
Pembrokeshire Herald
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Permission for new home on councillor's relative's land ‘not rubber stamped'
AN UNSUCCESSFUL call for no confidence in Pembrokeshire's deputy leader has been labelled 'an abuse of a democratic forum for personal promotion,' but its instigator has said he has no regrets. At an extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on June 2, Independent Group leader Cllr Huw Murphy called for no confidence in Councillor Paul Miller to remain as Deputy Leader & Cabinet Member. Cllr Murphy had made the call, which was ultimately unsuccessful, partly due to comments made by Cllr Miller at an April meeting of the council's Cabinet in which he moved an amendment with regards to Welsh Education Strategic Plan (WESP) to request officers collect data from parents of children electing a Welsh medium education. A bone of contention for Cllr Murphy was when Cllr Miller commented with regards to parental choice for Welsh medium school Ysgol Caer Elen: '…all of them that I know who send their children to Caer Ellen honestly couldn't give a toss whether it was Welsh or English'. 'Comments such as this in 2025 are unacceptable and serve to create a perception of bias when it comes to the delivery of Welsh medium education, something that generations have striven for, namely equality and fairness,' Cllr Murphy has previously said. 'For a Deputy Leader of Council to make such comments and then refuse to retract when he has had ample opportunity to do so makes his position untenable both as Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member. The matter was reported to the Welsh Language Commissioner and was called in to the May Schools O&S Scrutiny Committee, ultimately returning to a May 21 meeting of the Cabinet, hearing a proposal by Cllr Miller to now collect data on all languages and additional information, before the special extraordinary meeting of June 2. Responding at the special meeting, Cllr Miller repeated previously made comments, saying there had never been an intention to collect the information through a formal schools process. He reiterated the 'couldn't give a toss' comment was one made by a mother in his ward which he had repeated, apologising if he had caused upset. He added: 'I believe Cllr Murphy should be deeply ashamed of his actions, he is trying to create division in the county of Pembrokeshire where no division exists,' adding: 'To suggest that either I personally or the administration is anti-Welsh is simply not true.' He was not the only one to take umbrage at Cllr Murphy's call, with Conservative Group Leader Cllr Di Clements saying: 'This is nothing more than petty political point scoring which we want no part of,' and council leader Cllr Jon Harvey saying it was 'creating division where none exists and political opportunism at its worst.' The no confidence call in Cllr Miller was defeated by 28 votes to 16, with 11 abstentions. There are 11 Conservative Group members in the council. Commenting after the meeting, Plaid Cymru county councillor for Tenby, Cllr Michael Williams who said he 'in no way condoned Cllr Miller's comments,' described the meeting as 'a complete waste of time and money'. He added: 'Cllr Murphy seems to think Local Government is a game and submitted absolutely no arguments to support his motion.' He went on to describe it as 'a pathetic waste of time,' saying: 'I hope lessons will be learnt, but I doubt they will. It amounted to an abuse of a democratic forum for personal promotion.' Cllr Murphy said he still felt he had made the right call, saying Cllr Miller 'never once showed contrition for his comments'. He added: 'The fact Cabinet have now been compelled to amend their position through the call-in and Welsh Language Commissioner's intervention shows the value of these challenges as otherwise Cllr Miller would be requesting data from less than 20 per cent of Neyland parents for wishing to send their children to Caer Elen over the 80 per cent sending their children to Haverfordwest High or Milford Haven which would suggest clear bias against Welsh medium education. 'As Leader of Independent Group I have no regrets in requesting a call in and then an EGM and if such behaviour is repeated by Cabinet members it won't be the last time such a meeting is requested under the constitution. Neither did we canvass support from any other political group.' He finished: 'The fact the Conservative Group, through abstaining, threw Cllr Miller a lifeline will not be lost on Pembrokeshire voters who will draw their own conclusions on such a decision where the Conservatives have effectively supported Labour and the administration on this issue.'
