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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 confirmed its forward work programme. It gave the Scrutiny Coordinator permission to decide which reports go to the November 2026 meeting, subject to their availability.
Decided: The Committee acknowledged the progress schools have made in embedding the Curriculum for Wales, and the support and professional learning the Council provides. It asked for a further report in autumn 2027. That report will cover progress across all schools, the interventions planned for challenges, and an evaluation of the curriculum's impact, including on pupil and staff wellbeing.
Decided: The Committee acknowledged the work of Education Service and school staff in delivering the Additional Learning Needs and Education Tribunal (Wales) Act 2018. It asked the Council's Executive to write to the Welsh Government's Minister for Education and Welsh Language. The letter should stress the need for enough funding, based on local evidence of need, and the long-term benefit of early preventative services.
Decided: The Committee acknowledged the Council's and its schools' performance, progress and actions on school attendance and pupil engagement. It asked for a further progress report in autumn 2027.
Decided: The committee noted the reports. It recommended that future reports show whether each savings proposal is still being pursued, on hold, or met another way, and that the committee write to Welsh Government asking it to speed up the review of how schools are funded. The Leader will circulate information on Additional Learning Needs (ALN) consequential funding, which is extra money Wales receives after UK spending decisions, and the Welsh Local Government Association will be invited to brief all members.
Resolved that: 1) The following nominations recommended by the Director of Education in conjunction with the Cabinet Member for Education & Learning be approved: St Josephs Cathedral Caitlin Littlejohns Ynystawe Primary Laura Tams YGG Bryniago Mark Biscoe YGG Tan Y Lan Meleri Cole
Decided: Culley at Cefneithin.
Decided: The Committee noted the list of forthcoming items for its next meeting on 13 October 2026. It also agreed that a development session on school delegated budgets be added to its 2026/27 work plan.
Decided: The Committee received the report. It also agreed that a breakdown of the 166 learners who returned to school or moved out of county would be circulated to the Committee.
Decided: The Committee received the report. It was confirmed that a report on the review of the school meals service would be given to the Committee in due course.
Decided: Members endorsed two appointments as local authority governors: Councillor Ellen Jones to Deighton Primary School, and Kenneith Jones to Coed-y-Garn Primary School. Members also agreed that the Cabinet Member for Adults & Communities replace the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Families on the Gwent Archives Joint Committee.
Decided: The Committee scrutinised and commented on the report. Officers offered to provide more incident data by school sector and by individual pupil, and agreed that sickness absence data could be examined for any link with behaviour.
Decided: The Committee scrutinised and commented on the report. It resolved to recommend to the Cabinet Member for Education and Young People that governors receive training on the service's role, and that the use of Educational Psychology reports in panel processes be considered so schools are not unfairly disadvantaged. It also resolved to make representation to Welsh Government about the capacity and availability of Educational Psychology training places in Wales.
Decided: The Committee noted the progress report.
Decided: The Board noted the consultation feedback and agreed that officers proceed to a Statutory Notice on the proposal. It also asked for a further report in February 2027 on objections, to seek approval for a preferred way forward.
Decided: Cabinet noted the overall budget forecast and the shortfall in delivering savings. It noted the position on schools and the forecast movements in reserves. It approved the creation of new earmarked reserves and budget virements within Education. It noted the risks, including demand pressures.
Decided: The Cabinet authorised the Assistant Head of Housing and Property to lease the former school site directly to Menter Fachwen at a nominal rent, under the General Disposal Consent (Wales) 2003. The lease depends on Menter Fachwen securing funding and planning permission for a multi-purpose community hub, and the final terms are still to be agreed.
Decided: The Cabinet decided to adopt a new Education Transport Policy to take effect on 1 September 2027. It delegated authority to the Cabinet Member for Education, with the Head of Education, to keep the policy under review and make operational and editorial changes. Changes that need consultation must go back to Cabinet.
Decided: The committee supported the contents of the presentation. It asked to receive a further update report in due course.
Decided: The Committee noted the list of local authority school governor vacancies it had received.
Decided: The Committee did not make the appointments itself. The Council must approve them.
Decided: Members noted the report and asked for comparative funding and benchmarking information to be circulated to Members.
Decided: Members noted that, after Scrutiny's review and the Member workshop, the strategy would go to Council for approval in November 2026.