The Corporate Director Education and Family Support presented an update on the outcome of the bid submitted to Welsh Government in respect of the Welsh-medium capital grant and advised on the way forward in respect of the scheme development.

He reported that in March 2018, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance made available £30m across Wales for projects dedicated to supporting and growing the use of the Welsh language in education.  This funding would assist the delivery of Welsh Government’s ongoing commitment to achieve a million Welsh speakers by 2050 and was in addition to the existing allocation announced for Band B of the 21^st Century Schools and Education Programme.  Consideration was given to how best to increase the number of Welsh speakers within the Borough.  It had been identified that there is a lack of Welsh-medium childcare, which resulted in a decision to centre proposals on Welsh-medium sessional, child and wraparound care. 

He reported that a bid of £2.6m was submitted to create Welsh-medium childcare provision in Bettws, Ogmore Valley, Bridgend Town and Porthcawl.  He stated that preliminary work has commenced on developing each of the projects and a project team and steering group had been established.  The project team will deliver the construction element of the scheme and work has commenced on the initial stages of the project focusing on options appraisal in respect of developable land.  The purpose of the steering group will be to support the development and delivery of the Welsh-medium capital programme. 

The Cabinet Member Education and Regeneration in commending the proposals commented that a good deal of planning had gone into identifying the locations and he looked forward to seeing the results.  The Leader commented that this was excellent new for the authority and he recognised that the Welsh Government had matched their ambition and the the ambition of this authority with the award of funding.

RESOLVED:          That Cabinet:

(1)  Noted the outcome of the bid submitted to Welsh Government in respect of the Welsh-medium capital grant bid; and

(2) Approved the approach to the scheme development.