QUESTION BY COUNCILLOR BILL THOMAS TO COUNCILLOR GLYNOG DAVIES - EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER FOR EDUCATION & CHILDREN
“What impact on class sizes does the Executive Board member for Education & Children think the £18 million cuts to the Education & Children budget that were presented to the Executive Board meeting on 31st July will have over the next three years?”
Additional documents:
Minutes:
“What impact on class sizes does the Executive Board member for Education & Children think the £18 million cuts to the Education & Children budget that were presented to the Executive Board meeting on 31st July will have over the next three years?”
Response by Councillor Glynog Davies, Executive Board Member for Education and Children:-
It must be remembered Chair that the figures provided to the Executive Board at the end of July were estimated, emphasis that accept that. They estimated or guessed if you like that education would not be safeguarded by Welsh Government. We are putting pressure on the Welsh Labour Government in Cardiff to look at this with all seriousness and that’s why the WLGA are meeting Kirsty Williams this morning and education according to these figures will be hit in exactly the same way as the other departments. But, my great hope is that Kirsty Williams will this morning listen to the concern that is being expressed in all Welsh Counties and that evidence will be presented to her this morning, evidence on behalf of the WLGA. May I refer you to the ‘Class sizes Wales Regulations 2013’. I will send you the link so that you can see yourselves what the situation is. Much of this information is already available for you to look at. I’m not your researcher. You’re duty bound also to look for this information. It doesn’t have to be done publicly in this way. It’s available for all to look at.
Councillor Thomas asked the following supplementary question:-
What reassurance can you give parents that class sizes are not going to increase again?
Response by Councillor Glynog Davies, Executive Board Member for Education and Children:-
Sorry Councillor Thomas, It’s a hypothetical question. We’ve not been presented with our budget. So, how can I give you an answer this morning? We will all consider the budgets you, and everyone else, will have an opportunity to take part in our consultations and I am hoping to do the best I can for education. That is all I can say.