The retrograde and questionable decision by the Welsh Assembly Government to reject Cardiff County Council’s plans to modernise English language provision and to expand Welsh-medium education in west Cardiff yet again exposes the yawning gap between national rhetoric and local reality on the issue of surplus school places.
WLGA Education spokesperson Cllr. Peter Fox stated:
“Local authorities in Wales have been constantly exhorted by Ministers and the Schools Inspectorate Estyn to deal with the issues of surplus school places which are costly and in some cases have led to poor educational outcomes. Yet time after time, once a set of closures are proposed across any part of Wales we see Assembly Members leading campaigns to keep these same schools open. The rejection of Cardiff’s proposals calls into sharp relief the question of meaningful shared commitment at government level. This is despite consistent evidence by Estyn highlighted above which has been presented to Ministers.”
“In addition, the bureaucratic process to close a school is one of huge complexity and adding to this is the emerging problem of the very slow turnaround of decisions by the Assembly Government on appeals. As a consequence this whole process is in danger of turning into an expensive waste of time. It is vital that proper consultation occurs with parents and we readily understand that many feel passionately about their local school. Local government wants a new positive rationalisation process working with parents, governors and communities to establish new structures and functions and making better use of the assets. That said the art of government is about difficult financial choices particularly in a time of massive resource constraints, in Cardiff’s case the Assembly has ducked this choice and have no alternatives to offer.”
