The Corporate Director Education and Family Support presented a report informing Cabinet of the outcome of the consultation on the proposed

enlargement of Ysgol Gymraeg (YG) Bro Ogwr; presenting the findings of the consultation in a detailed Consultation Report (Appendix A) and

seeking approval to publish the Consultation Report and progress the

publication of a statutory notice as prescribed in the School Organisation

Code 2018 (the Code).

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support outlined the background to the report. He then explained that following ministerial approval in November 2021 and Cabinet approval in January 2022, a statutory consultation was progressed to make a regulated alteration to enlarge YG Bro Ogwr to a 2.5 FE school, with a 90-place full-time-equivalent nursery plus an 8-place observation and assessment class on land off Ffordd Cadfan. The proposal would come into effect at the beginning of the autumn term 2025. In order to progress the proposed regulated alteration to YG Bro Ogwr in the form of an enlargement, consultation exercises were carried out between 7 February 2022 and 21 March 2022, in accordance with the statutory School Organisation Code 2018. The consultation document invited views and opinions to be submitted in respect of the proposal. A summary of the issues raised by consultees and the local authority’s responses were provided in the Consultation Report as detailed in Appendix A to the report. Cabinet would need to consider the Consultation Report and determine the preferred way forward. Should Cabinet wish to proceed with the proposal, the next stage of the process was to publish a statutory notice outlining the proposal which would need to be published for a period of 28 days. Any formal written objections would be invited during this time. If there were no objections during the public notice period, then the proposal could be implemented with Cabinet’s approval. If there were objections at this public notice stage, an Objections Report would be published summarising the objections and the local authority’s response to those objections and Cabinet would need to consider the proposal in light of any objections made. Cabinet

could then accept, reject or modify the proposal.

The Corporate Director Education and Family Support outlined the financial implications. 

The Cabinet Member for Education thanked officers for their hard work. This development was a very important step in developing the Welsh language in Bridgend. It would be the biggest Welsh medium school in Bridgend with a state of the art building allowing the school and the Welsh language to grow and flourish. Welsh Language was a key commitment of this Cabinet and local authority and this went a long way to demonstrating that. 

The Cabinet Member for Communities welcomed the report. This was an exciting project with community facilities and separate picking up/dropping off facilities. He looked forward to seeing the school completed and better services for the Welsh language.

The Leader was pleased to see that included in the proposals there were plans for an observation class for children with additional learning needs in Welsh. He thanked the consultees for their responses. Concerns had been raised about the availability of space in the short term and he was pleased that WG announced additional funding for schools which would allow them to progress with additional classes at Bro Ogwyr to accommodate children pre 2025. He asked for further information to be provided regarding the siting of the additional classrooms, to a future meeting.

RESOLVED:       Cabinet:

·      noted the outcome of the consultation with prescribed consultees, as detailed in the attached Consultation Report and appendices;

·      approved the publication of the Consultation Report (Appendix A); and

·      approved the publication of a statutory notice in respect of the proposal.

·