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 application 2026/0393/S73 for land north of Garden Village. It changes condition 3 of the 2019 permission (2016/1478), so that reserved matters for the phases other than Phase 1 are due after 13 years instead of 7. The approval includes the updates reported to the meeting: amended conditions 20 and 21 and a corrected condition 24. It is subject to a revised Section 106 agreement.
Decided: Cabinet deferred the item to its next meeting on 20 October 2026, following a recent tragedy in Llanfairfechan. It was not considered appropriate to consider the proposal at this meeting.
Decided: Cabinet approved closing Ysgol Ysbyty Ifan from 31 August 2027. It agreed that the objections do not justify changing or withdrawing the proposal. It agreed in principle that savings from the closure stay in the schools budget for education, subject to the council's normal budget rules. It approved an exception to the home to school transport policy, so pupils at the school will get transport from September 2027 to Ysgol Pentrefoelas until they finish primary school.
Decided: Cabinet approved closing Ysgol Betws y Coed from 31 August 2027. It agreed that the objections do not justify changing or withdrawing the proposal. It agreed in principle that savings from the closure stay in the schools budget for education, subject to the council's normal budget rules. It approved an exception to the home to school transport policy, so pupils at the school will get transport from September 2027 to Ysgol Dolwyddelan or Ysgol Capel Garmon until they finish primary school. The Cabinet Member for Environment, Roads and Infrastructure abstained on the transport decision because he sits on the Home to School Transport Dispute Panel.
Decided: Cabinet unanimously agreed to recommend that Council proceed with closing Ysgol y Fro on 31 December 2026, as set out in the statutory notice, the formal public notice of the proposal. Pupils would move to Ysgol y Dderwen from 1 January 2027.
Decided: Cabinet unanimously agreed to recommend that Council proceed with closing Ysgol Gynradd Meidrim on 31 December 2026, as set out in the statutory notice, the formal public notice of the proposal. Pupils would move to Ysgol Hafodwenog or Ysgol Griffith Jones from 1 January 2027.
Decided: The report was noted for monitoring purposes.
Decided: The report was noted for monitoring purposes.
Decided: Scrutiny supported the recommendation going to Cabinet.
Decided: Scrutiny supported the recommendation going to Cabinet.
Decided: The committee agreed that a separate special meeting could be held on school transport. The Environmental Health reporting request was noted as a possible future item, and the Welsh Water request was noted for consideration as a future item.
Decided: Cabinet received the report for information. The minute records no decision.
Decided: Councillors received the report for information only.
Decided: Councillors received the report for information only.
Decided: Councillors received the report for information only.
Resolved: • To note the progress made by the school in implementing the audit recommendations. • To receive the results of the Internal Audit follow-up review in due course and determine whether any further attendance by school representatives is required.
Resolved: 1. That the report be noted. 2. That consideration be given to including information relating to school complaints within future annual reports
Decided: The next meeting will be an informal Panel meeting with and at St David's Catholic Primary School on 22 October 2026.