Cabinet To Discuss Y Bala Learning Campus

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet will meet on Tuesday, 14 February to consider whether to re-visit the decision to establish a 3-19 Learning Campus in Y Bala in conjunction with the Church in Wales. This follows recent discussions between Gwynedd Council officers, the Diocese of St Asaph, Y Berwyn catchment-area Governors and Local Members. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report was submitted to the Cabinet on 13 December 2016 seeking permission to consult with the governing bodies of Y Berwyn catchment area schools on the option to abandon the proposal to establish a 3-19 Learning Campus Voluntary Controlled (VC, Church in Wales) in Y Bala. The Cabinet decided in that meeting to defer consideration of the recommendation in the report in order to consider the latest correspondence received from the Church in Wales and the legal advice. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Following the Cabinet’s meeting in December, a meeting was held with Y Bala catchment area Headteachers, Chair of Governors and Local Members, as well as a representative on behalf of the Diocese of St Asaph on 18 January 2017 to provide an update on the situation. Following this, the Council has received comments from the Governing Bodies of Ysgol Y Berwyn and Ysgol Bro Tegid stating their opposition to the proposed status of the 3-19 Learning Campus. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd Council Cabinet Member for Education said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Gwynedd Council is entirely focused on ensuring the best education provision for the children and young people of the Berwyn catchment area and the construction work for this new 3-19 Learning Campus worth more than £10 million is progressing well. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Unfortunately, following a long period of working in partnership with the Church in Wales, the latest developments have caused great concern locally and poses a significant risk to the success of the school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a result, the mater will be presented to the Cabinet to consider the situation and the best way forward. As part of the discussion, we will consider whether we should open formal discussions with the governors of Y Berwyn catchment area schools on the option of withdrawing the current proposal, and re-starting a statutory consultation process.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If the Cabinet approves the report recommendation, the Council will discuss any possible financial implications for the scheme directly with the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet will meet on Tuesday, 14 February to discuss the matter. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​