Meetings
NDM7606 Independent Alliance for Reform Group Debate - Investment in schools.
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Meeting: 03/03/2021 - Plenary - Fifth Senedd (Item 9)
Independent Alliance for Reform Group Debate - Investment in schools.
NDM7606
Caroline Jones (South Wales West)
To
propose that the Senedd:
1.
Recognises that the lack of investment in school infrastructure over recent
decades has resulted in many schools not being fit for purpose.
2.
Welcomes recent investment such as the 21st Century Schools Programme, but
regrets the fact that this is being used as a vehicle by local education
authorities to merge schools.
3.
Calls upon the Welsh Government to:
a)
put a halt on the creation of super schools which are detrimental to the
learning experience of young people;
b)
ensure that local education authorities do not use a lack of investment as an
excuse to close community schools; and
c)
issue guidance to local education authorities to ensure that school pupils do
not have to travel more than 15 minutes by car or public transport to attend
their nearest school.
The
following amendments have been tabled:
Amendment 1
Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete all and replace
with:
To propose that the
Senedd:
1. Believes that all
children and young people should have the opportunity to learn in the best
learning environments.
2. Recognises that local
authorities are responsible for planning school places and choosing an
appropriate learning model for a particular area.
3. Notes that when making
major changes to schools, including school closures, local authorities must
comply with the School Organisation Code and take into account a range of
factors, the prime concern being the interests of learners.
4. Welcomes that the Welsh
Government:
a) has prioritised
investment in the schools and colleges estate and continues to do so through
its 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme;
b) will invest in excess
of £300 million in our schools and colleges this year; the highest annual spend
since the programme commenced;
c) scrutinises investment
in the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme to ensure that active travel
is a key part of the new provision; and
d) is reviewing the
Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008, which sets the conditions under which
local authorities are required to provide home to school travel for learners,
to ensure that it remains fit for purpose.
21st
Century Schools and Colleges Programme
Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008
[If amendment 1 is agreed,
amendment 2 will be de-selected]
Amendment 2 Mark Isherwood (North
Wales)
Delete point 3 and replace
with:
Calls on the Welsh
Government to:
a) end the underfunding of
pupils in Wales;
b) deliver fair funding
for local authorities to protect rural schools;
c) bring forward projects
in phase B of the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme to start
rebuilding Wales;
d) ensure that all new
schools are designed in a disability-aware way;
e) resist the creation of
super schools and ensure no school is closed against community wishes;
f) ensure that local
education authorities cannot use a lack of investment as an excuse to close
local schools; and
g) conduct a Wales-wide
audit of the condition of the existing estate for Welsh medium provision.
Minutes:
The item started at 17.18
Voting on the motion and amendments under this item was deferred
until Voting Time.
A vote was taken on the motion without amendment:
NDM7606 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Recognises that the lack of investment in school
infrastructure over recent decades has resulted in many schools not
being fit for purpose.
2. Welcomes recent investment such as the 21st Century Schools
Programme, but regrets the fact that this is being used as a vehicle by local
education authorities to merge schools.
3. Calls upon the Welsh Government to:
a) put a halt on the creation of super schools which are detrimental to
the learning experience of young people;
b) ensure that local education authorities do not use a lack of investment
as an excuse to close community schools; and
c) issue guidance to local education authorities to ensure that school
pupils do not have to travel more than 15 minutes by car or public transport to
attend their nearest school.
|
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
|
7 |
3 |
47 |
57 |
The motion without amendment was not agreed.
The following amendments were tabled:
Amendment 1 Rebecca
Evans (Gower)
Delete all and replace with:
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Believes that all children and young
people should have the opportunity to learn in the best learning environments.
2. Recognises that local authorities
are responsible for planning school places and choosing an appropriate learning
model for a particular area.
3. Notes that when making major changes
to schools, including school closures, local authorities must comply with the
School Organisation Code and take into account a range of factors, the prime
concern being the interests of learners.
4. Welcomes that the Welsh Government:
a) has prioritised investment in the
schools and colleges estate and continues to do so through its 21st Century
Schools and Colleges Programme;
b) will invest in excess of £300
million in our schools and colleges this year; the highest annual spend since
the programme commenced;
c) scrutinises investment in the 21st
Century Schools and Colleges Programme to ensure that active travel is a key
part of the new provision; and
d) is reviewing the Learner Travel
(Wales) Measure 2008, which sets the conditions under which local authorities
are required to provide home to school travel for learners, to ensure that it
remains fit for purpose.
21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme
Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008
A vote was taken on amendment 1:
|
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
|
30 |
2 |
25 |
57 |
Amendment 1 was agreed.
[As amendment 1 is agreed, amendment 2
was de-selected]
A vote was taken on the motion as amended:
NDM7606 Caroline Jones (South Wales West)
To propose that the Senedd:
1. Believes that all children and young
people should have the opportunity to learn in the best learning environments.
2. Recognises that local authorities
are responsible for planning school places and choosing an appropriate learning
model for a particular area.
3. Notes that when making major changes
to schools, including school closures, local authorities must comply with the
School Organisation Code and take into account a range of factors, the prime
concern being the interests of learners.
4. Welcomes that the Welsh Government:
a) has prioritised investment in the
schools and colleges estate and continues to do so through its 21st Century
Schools and Colleges Programme;
b) will invest in excess of £300
million in our schools and colleges this year; the highest annual spend since
the programme commenced;
c) scrutinises investment in the 21st
Century Schools and Colleges Programme to ensure that active travel is a key
part of the new provision; and
d) is reviewing the Learner Travel
(Wales) Measure 2008, which sets the conditions under which local authorities
are required to provide home to school travel for learners, to ensure that it
remains fit for purpose.
21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme
Learner Travel (Wales) Measure 2008
|
For |
Abstain |
Against |
Total |
|
29 |
3 |
25 |
57 |
The motion as amended was agreed.