Redundancy fears as primary schools merge

Richard Evans Local Democracy Reporter

Conwy plans to ‘amalgamate’ two Mochdre primary schools in yet another potentially cost-cutting exercise that could result in teacher redundancies.

Earlier this year, Conwy County Council voted to cut education budgets by 5% across schools, despite teachers being faced with the damage COVID has done to children’s education and mental health.

But Conwy’s education and skills overview and scrutiny committee will debate whether to have a public consultation to amalgamate Mochdre’s Ysgol Babanod infants and Ysgol Cystennin junior school.

The two schools have been working closely under the leadership of the same head teacher and governing body since 2017, but if the amalgamation is agreed, two school budgets will be reduced to one.

If the proposal gets the go-ahead, the school will, though, continue to operate on two separate sites, but according to disadvantages listed in the report, the decision could mean staff redeployment or redundancies.

Parents could also face uniform costs as the school’s name, logo, and uniform will change, and this was also listed under ‘disadvantages’ in the report.

‘Stress’

Mochdre councillor Stephen Price said he didn’t believe the proposals would affect the newly amalgamated school’s budget if the plans were to go ahead, believing that the budget would be set according to pupil numbers.

Cllr Price did say, though, he wouldn’t support any redundancy plans should they emerge.

“If there was any suggestion of redundancies, I would not be supportive of that in any way, shape, or form,” he said.

“I acknowledge the amount of stress teachers are under, and reducing them would be detrimental to children and to the community, so I wouldn’t support redundancies – if that was proposed.”

Ysgol Babanod Mochdre currently has 44 pupils with a capacity of 81 children aged three to seven; Ysgol Cwstennin has 65 pupils aged seven to 11 with a capacity of 82.

Cabinet member for education Cllr Julie Fallon said she was pleased the plans were progressing.

“I am happy that we are moving forward with this proposal to consult,” she said in the report.

“The schools have demonstrated a good working relationship over recent years, and this will help enhance the good work and further improve outcomes for the learners of the community.”

According to the report, advantages of the amalgamation include streamlined policies and structures, continuity of the curriculum, reduced duplication of economies, greater sense of community, and enhanced professional development for staff.

But an earlier consultation with elected members has speculated if the amalgamation could affect future grant funding.

The consultation will be discussed at Bodlondeb on Tuesday 6 June with a final decision to be made by the cabinet.

Budget

Meanwhile, Conwy’s finance and resources overview scrutiny committee will discuss a request from Ysgol Cynfran for financial support, in the form of a £67,344 loan, which if agreed will be paid back over five years.

According to a report due to be scrutinised by councillors next week, the Llysfaen school needs the funds to balance its budget.

Already the school on Dolwen Road has made compulsory redundancies and reduced part-time staff to address the budget shortfall.

Councillors will discuss the matter at a finances and resources overview scrutiny committee meeting on Monday 5 June and will have the option of either agreeing or rejecting the loan application before a final decision is made by cabinet.

Cllr Abdul Khan is not on the committee but said schools were getting less money because Conwy also received a poor annual settlement from Welsh Government.

This year Conwy received only a 7.3% increase compared to a Welsh average of 7.9%.

“It (schools struggling financially) has a lot to do with the funding we get as a local authority from Welsh Government, so because we are getting less, we have less to give as a council,” said Cllr Khan.

“Education is a bastion of the community, isn’t it? The central government and Welsh Government should get their priorities right.”

Conwy County Council was contacted for a comment.