Powys council group leaders welcome education improvements
A council's opposition group leaders have welcomed a positive follow-up report from an education watchdog but warned the authority should not “rest on its laurels.”
Last month Estyn published the report and said that Powys would be taken out of the "local authority causing significant concern” category.
It comes just over two years from a disastrous and damning inspection report in September 2019.
Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor James Gibson-Watt said staff should be congratulated in their efforts on the turn-around, but said it was a concern that the service had been allowed to decline.
He said: “The report shows that the council’s education service is now back in the shape it should be, which is very good news.
“All involved should be warmly congratulated; but I have no doubt that the forensic work of the Learning and Skills scrutiny committee and its chairman – Councillor Pete Roberts – has been crucial in securing this improvement.
“It should not be forgotten that the service was allowed to fall into considerable disrepair, which inevitably had a very negative impact on the council’s schools.”
He added that it “remains to be seen” if the council's 'transformation' process for schools actually improves education in the county.
Plaid Cymru group leader, Councillor Elwyn Vaughan said: “Naturally I welcome the report which shows positive progress from the critical position the authority faced two years ago.
“However, we need to make sure that the authority doesn’t now rest on its laurels and falls back into the same position it was.
“The reason it had such a damning report from Estyn initially was because Powys was a generation behind many parts of Wales due to indecision, parochialism and lack of strategic thinking.
“It is imperative that the authority now builds on this and ensures that the young people of Powys receive the best education possible for the future.
Labour group leader Councillor Mathew Dorrance said: “Estyn found significant concerns during its 2019 inspection, so it is pleasing to note that progress is being made to put the failings right.
“The whole council has worked hard to help turn things around but there is much more to do, and the council is not out of the woods yet.
“Children and young people in Powys deserve better than what they’ve been offered by this Conservative and Independent-run council. “
Councillor Jeremy Pugh of Action for Powys said that he would be discussing the report with other members of his group soon.
Councillor Liam Fitzpatrick of the New Powys group was also contacted for a comment.
