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: Members supported the recommendation to Full Council that the local authority signs the Carer's Trust Young Carers Covenant. They agreed that NEWCIS and young carers should be invited to Full Council when the report is considered, and that the Education portfolio should encourage school governing bodies to support the Covenant.
Decided: The committee indicated that it was satisfied with the explanation it received, so the Cabinet decision can be implemented.
Decided: The committee indicated that it was satisfied with the explanation it received, so the Cabinet decision can be implemented.
AGREED to note the Forward Work Plan as presented subject to the following: (i) two extra reports one from Estyn and the Revised Charter in relation to the Structure of the Internal Audit Service be presented to the 17 September meeting, and (ii) to note that two meetings would be held in September, one on the 17 September and the 24 September 2026 to consider the Statement of Accounts.
RESOLVED: That the Forward Work Programme for the Education and Skills Overview and Scrutiny Committee, together with the combined Forward Work Programme be approved.
Decided: Cabinet agreed to publish the statutory notices, the formal public notices that start the next stage. It also agreed that if no objections are received, the Executive Member for Children, Families and Education will decide the proposal under delegated authority (power given to a councillor to decide without a full meeting). If objections come in, Cabinet will receive a further report.
Decided: Cabinet approved the changes to the School Health and Safety Policy for schools to adopt from September 2026. It also noted feedback from the Learning Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Decided: Cabinet confirmed the nomination set out in the report as the council's representative on the governing body of the relevant school.
Decided: The minute records that the Cabinet approved the proposal to relocate Ysgol Heol Goffa to a new site and increase its capacity to 150 pupil places. The decision was unanimous. The Chair left the meeting for this item because of an interest, and the Vice-Chair presided.
Decided: The Cabinet endorsed the updated Model Teachers' Pay Policy 2025/26 before it is sent to schools for formal adoption by their governing bodies. The decision was unanimous. Vaughan Owen left the meeting for this item because of interests, and the Vice-Chair presided.
Decided: The Cabinet deferred the report to a future meeting so it could receive more detail on the proposals. The decision was unanimous. No funding was approved.
Decided: Having considered the responses in the Objection Report, the Cabinet unanimously resolved to recommend to Council that the proposal go ahead as set out in the statutory notice. This means discontinuing Ammanford Nursery School and extending the age range of Ysgol Bro Banw and Ysgol Gymraeg Rhydaman to 3-11. The County Council will make the final decision on 10 June 2026.
Decided: Having considered the responses in the Objection Reports, the Cabinet unanimously resolved to recommend to Council that the age range change from 4-11 to 3-11 go ahead at Cwrt Henri, Llanybydder, Tumble and Y Ddwylan, as set out in the statutory notices. The County Council will make the final decision on 10 June 2026.
Decided: Having considered the responses in the Consultation Reports, the Cabinet resolved to publish statutory notices to discontinue Ysgol Meidrim and Ysgol y Fro. Statutory notices are formal public notices required before a school can be closed. A statutory notice period of 28 days follows, then an objection report returns to Cabinet and County Council for a final decision.
RESOLVED That the Pembrokeshire NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) Strategy be approved.
RESOLVED That the proposal to progress Option 3 (Full Delivery) with the associated funding be approved; and that authority be delegated to the Director for Education to finalise delivery arrangements.
RESOLVED That the public be excluded from the meeting in accordance with Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 as Appendices A and B involved the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Act; and that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. The webcast was paused at this juncture. Having convened in private session in accordance with Paragraph 14 of Part 4 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972, Cabinet considered the exempt Appendices. The webcast was then resumed at this juncture. Councillor Paul Miller responded to comments raised previously during the meeting, acknowledging the concerns expressed. He advised that ensuring continuity of education for pupils would be a key consideration in developing the decant proposals. He noted, however, that this would need to be balanced against the requirement to manage costs and ensure that any temporary arrangements were both reasonable and affordable. He confirmed that a further report would be brought to Cabinet setting out a final decant option for consideration. The vote, undertaken by way of a roll call, was carried. The votes were recorded as follows: For the Motion: Councillors Tessa Hodgson, Michelle Bateman, Alistair Cameron, Jon Harvey, Paul Miller, Rhys Sinnett, Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, Marc Tierney, Jacob Williams [9] There were no votes against or abstentions. RESOLVED (a) That the award of the pre-construction services agreement (Stage 1 contract) to Morgan Sindall Construction as the most economically advantageous tenderer following the competitive tendering process undertaken through the South West Wales Regional Contractors’ Framework, be approved. (b) That provisions be made within the capital programme for the cost of delivering the stage 1 (Design) works. (c) That a further report be brought to Cabinet at the conclusion of Stage 1 to seek approval for entering the Stage 2 construction contract. (d) That the Director of Education, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration, undertake further viability and feasibility work in respect of the decant options and that a final decant proposal be brought to Cabinet for consideration. (e) That up to £75,000 to support creation of that final decant proposal be approved.
Decided: Cabinet noted the outcome of the public consultation. It delegated authority to the Director of Education & Lifelong Learning, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Education, to publish proposals under section 48 of The Schools Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013. It asked for a further report on any objections, the response to them, and recommendations on whether to implement the proposals. It also delegated authority to appoint multi-disciplinary services, meaning teams drawn from several professions, to design possible later phases before officers consult on preferred proposals.
Decided: Cabinet approved four changes: (1) the language medium of the Cognition and Learning Support Centre (LSC) at YGG Trebannws changes to Welsh-medium from September 2026; (2) a new 16-place Cognition and Learning LSC for pupils aged 11 to 16 is set up at Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera Bro Dur from September 2027; (3) Ysgol Maes Y Coed gains 40 extra pupil places from April 2028; (4) the Pupil Inclusion Centre at Awel y Mor Primary becomes a permanent primary Behavioural, Emotional and Social needs LSC from September 2026. The decisions take effect after the three-day call-in period, which allows councillors to ask for a decision to be reviewed before it is put into effect.