One body should look after post-16 education, councillor says

At the cabinet meeting on Tuesday May 18, the sixth form reorganisation was criticised by Liberal Democrat councillors for only being concerned about Powys County Council’s schools.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat and Green group, Councillor James Gibson-Watt, said: “I welcome the creation of the Strategic Management Board, that will give the council better control of the budget it gets from the Welsh Government.

“If you read the report, you would think that all post-16 learning happens in Powys schools, it does not.”

Councillor Gibson-Watt had found historic data from 2009/10 which showed that of 7,400 post 16 students in Powys and 1,355 went to sixth form.

He said: “It’s a pretty stark reminder to us that most post-16 learning does not happen in school it happens elsewhere.

“There is a paucity of ambition, I accept it’s a first step, there’s some good stuff in here, but it just doesn’t go far enough.

“Until we create a single seamless system with one governance structure across all sectors you will not create the sort of opportunities that we want to.”

Collaboration

He explained that it meant more than just talking. but collaboration, pooling resources, and funding.

The criticism riled some who were listening, with Council leader, Councillor Rosemarie Harris informing viewers of the meeting that off camera, education advisers were shaking their heads, when the comments were made.

Councillor Harris said: “We are at the start of a journey and we need to get a bit further down the line.”

Education advisers stressed that by setting up the boards, colleges and other providers would have a point of contact with the authority.

Post-16 workstream chairman, Huw Evans, said: “We fully recognise that this is not a finished job.

“We’ve had several very positive discussions with the Neath Port Talbot group (of colleges), the frustrations are that there is no single point of contact for these discussions as they are spread over our schools, and they have them 11 times over.

“We need to get our own house in order first, this is a crucial vital first step which will enable us to develop those partnerships with providers over time.

Education portfolio holder Councillor Phyl Davies said: “I cannot believe what I was hearing.”

He pointed out that historic issues going back over 20 years when change had been mooted but didn’t happen, had been brought up at the meeting.

Channelling his inner Supt Ted Hastings from hit BBC crime drama, Line of Duty, Councillor Davies said:  “Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the wee donkey, come on guys this is significant movement forwards and progression on the most significant area of transformation in Powys.

“It was June last year that this was picked up.”

The proposals were agreed, and all councillors will now be invited to a “member development session” to understand more about the reorganisation.