Safeguarding in schools: councillor-led review report
Decided: The Committee approved the report. It asked the Cabinet Member for Education for an update on implementation of each recommendation in about six months.
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Welsh councils this month made decisions on school closures and openings, special school space, and school repairs, while budgets and additional learning needs (ALN) funding remained pressure points. Carmarthenshire, Powys, Merthyr Tydfil and Swansea took some of the main decisions.[7][8][4][2][5]
Written in November 2026 from council records since 20 September 2026, open consultations and official sources. Written automatically, then checked: every point names its sources and every figure appears in them. Follow the links to check anything before relying on it.
Councils run community schools, fund every state school, provide school transport and support pupils with additional learning needs. They plan school places, including Welsh-medium places under a ten-year plan.
The Cabinet decides on school changes, such as opening, closing or merging schools, after a formal consultation. Head teachers and governing bodies run each school day to day.
Proposals to change a school must be consulted on, and anyone can respond. Parents can also become school governors.
| Council | Items | With a decision |
|---|---|---|
| Powys | 102 | 75 |
| Carmarthenshire | 93 | 74 |
| Pembrokeshire | 67 | 60 |
| Swansea | 64 | 41 |
| Flintshire | 63 | 48 |
| Cardiff | 53 | 50 |
| Caerphilly | 53 | 0 |
| Rhondda Cynon Taf | 52 | 46 |
| Monmouthshire | 48 | 12 |
| Ceredigion | 44 | 38 |
| Gwynedd | 43 | 38 |
| Newport | 43 | 22 |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 42 | 28 |
| Conwy | 40 | 36 |
| Neath Port Talbot | 39 | 28 |
| Wrexham | 36 | 32 |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 29 | 24 |
| Blaenau Gwent | 27 | 25 |
| Denbighshire | 22 | 17 |
| Bridgend | 18 | 0 |
| Torfaen | 10 | 7 |
Decided: The Committee approved the report. It asked the Cabinet Member for Education for an update on implementation of each recommendation in about six months.
Decided: The committee agreed to recommend that the approach and information in the report be accepted as provided (Option 1).
Decided: The Council agreed to work with partners to support children and young people with additional learning needs. It agreed that the Leader should write to the First Minister urging the Welsh Government to pass the full value of any SEND/ALN consequential funding from the UK Government to local authorities. An amendment to welcome £120 million of additional ALN funding was defeated, with 8 votes for, 37 against and one abstention.
Decided: The Council approved changes to Section 14 of the Constitution, which sets out who is responsible for each council function. It removed four bodies: the Discretionary Housing Pay Review Committee, the Trust Committee, the Central South Consortium Joint Education Service Joint Committee and the Scrutiny Performance Panel. It also approved updated terms of reference, the rules on what a body does, for the Glamorgan Coast Heritage Advisory Group and the Big Fresh Catering Company.
Decided: Members agreed the 2026-27 work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, with three changes. Members also approved the work programmes for the three thematic committees and agreed that officers, the Chair and the Vice Chair would review public feedback on extra items.
Decided: The committee scrutinised the Council's financial and operational performance as at 31 March 2026. Members agreed that a more detailed scrutiny review of fixed-term school exclusions should take place, with the Chair, in consultation with officers, choosing the best way to do this through the work programme.
RESOLVED: 1. To consider the contents of the final Education Strategic Plan 2026-2030; 2. To approve the contents of the amended Education Strategic Plan 2026-2030; and 3. To the publication in both Welsh & English of the Education Strategic Plan 2026-2030
Decided: Cabinet noted the Annual Report 2024-2025 of the Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) and the Standing Advisory Council for Religion, Values and Ethics (SAC).
Decided: The Committee approved the application with conditions. The conditions cover a five-year time limit, the approved plans, a dark green colour and biodiversity improvements. A note says that work to protected trees needs separate consent.
RESOLVED that: 4.1 the Pre-Audit of Statement of Accounts 2025/26 be received; 4.2 retrospective approval be given for the movements to and from the Earmarked Reserves. In particular, the transfers to: • Major Development Fund • MEP Capital Funding • City Deal/Pentre Awel 4.3 the Chair write formally to the Leader of the Council, expressing the Committee’s concerns with the school balances.
Decided: Cabinet agreed the updates to the work programme for April to June 2026. It also endorsed the work programme for July to September 2026.
RESOLVED · To accept the report and note the information. · To welcome that the improvements were going in the right direction. Note: That the Committee received an update on the work of the response plan to Our Bravery Brought Justice; to include updates on disciplinary matters and the additional impact on staff because of the uncertainty surrounding this issue.
Decided: Council adopted the motion, as amended by Councillor Hefin Jones, and referred it to Cabinet.
Decided: The Board approved officers proceeding with the reduction in the Published Admission Number (the maximum number of pupils admitted each year) at Ysgol Maes y Mynydd from 51 to 45, and at Penygelli from 45 to 30, from September 2027.
Decided: The Board supported a new coach park, a new Off Street Parking Place Order (the legal order that sets rules for a car park), and charges for coaches. It also revoked the existing order for car spaces at the museum site and replaced it. The Board authorised officers to carry out legal consultation for charges from 1 April 2027, and agreed that Economy and Planning keep the fees to maintain the site. The fees are £4 for up to 4 hours, £6 for 4 to 6 hours, and £10 for over 6 hours until midnight.
Decided: The committee received the end of year sickness absence report and asked for a deeper look at catering in Education and Leisure, with a further report to follow.
RESOLVED That the content of the report in response to the recommendations of the Committee meeting on the 11 May 2026 in relation to the Cranham Park and Tudor Place house building projects, be noted.
RESOLVED (a) That the correspondence received by the Chair from the Leader of Council regarding the inadequate insurance cover for Manorbier school, which was destroyed by fire, and the need for assurance regarding the insurance arrangements across the Council, be noted. (b) That an audit of insurance cover across the Council to assess its sufficiency to cover losses, taking account of risks and value for money, be requested. (c) That an investigation be undertaken by Internal Audit regarding the lessons learnt from the Manorbier school incident and the actions taken following the lessons learnt. (d) That delegated Authority be granted to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Committee via email, to draft and agree the terms of reference for the requested audit and investigation.
Decided: Cabinet received and approved the report, agreed to publish it on the council website, and agreed to present it to the Welsh Language Commissioner.
Decided: The minute records a recommendation that the Committee congratulate Cowbridge School, St Nicholas Church in Wales Primary, All Saints Church in Wales Primary, Cadoxton Primary and Llansannor and Llanharry Church in Wales Primary on core inspections with no follow-up activity. It also records a recommendation that the Committee acknowledge the progress made by Pencoedtre High School, Fairfield Primary and St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School in addressing their Estyn recommendations, and the initial work to support Llantwit Major School with its Estyn recommendations.
Decided: The Committee recommended that the Chair of the Start Well Scrutiny Committee write a letter to St Athan Primary School, expressing the Committee's appreciation and thanks for the response, reaction and support in an exceptional circumstance. It was noted that a Committee visit to the school would be arranged shortly after the new building block is completed.
RESOLVED That the revised Corporate Safeguarding Policy, as set out in Appendix A, be approved for publication on the Council’s website and that any minor amendments be delegated to the Director for Education.
Decided: The Committee noted the responses to its recommendations on Education Other Than at School. All had been accepted or partly accepted, and none rejected. Officers explained that one recommendation on performance indicators was marked as partly accepted because the indicators could not be introduced within the timescale first proposed, and Members accepted this explanation.
Decided: The Committee endorsed and welcomed several points, and recorded its concerns and the areas it remained unconvinced about. It made six recommendations: a report on attendance among vulnerable learner groups; data on the share of three-year-olds in early years settings, including Welsh-medium provision; a review of the performance framework to show impact; a review of when and how performance information is presented; clearer notes on reporting cycles; and Scrutiny Members taking part in the next review of targets. It also requested sickness absence data by service area, split into long-term and short-term absence.
Decided: The Committee recorded observations, not formal recommendations, and agreed no formal recommendations to Cabinet. It endorsed the Council's full funding of the agreed principles of the school funding formula, and welcomed signs that the overall schools financial position appears to be stabilising. It requested information on pupil-teacher ratios and formula assumptions over time, on the link between transformation, school closures and reinvestment, and on variations in curriculum offer across schools. It also asked for continued reporting on deficits and recovery plans, and for more governor training; some of these points were heard in confidential session.