Given the background of savage cuts to services and a
possible increase in council tax charges facing residents of Rhondda Cynon Taff
we could all be forgiven for thinking the future of one primary school is of
little consequence in the greater scheme of things. We could not be more wrong.
The fate of Pentre Primary has become a test case for all schools within the
Authority. Quite simply, “If you tolerate this then your children could be
next.”
It is time everyone woke up to what is actually happening.
If the closure of Pentre is confirmed by Education Minister Huw Lewis then this
Council will have been given ‘carte blanche’ to deal with schools as it sees
fit. A disturbing prospect when you consider how the Council has acted in
respect of Pentre Primary.
During the cabinet meeting that took place on the 18th
of November deputy leader Paul Cannon refused to allow any member or officers
to answer questions posed and deferred them to full council. Councillor Pauline
Jarman described this refusal as amateurish. Councillor Cannon’s response was
that he was abiding by the rules. If the deputy leader has such a high regard
for ‘the rules’ perhaps he should be more vigilant in ensuring that his cabinet
members and officers follow his lead. With regard to Eudine Hannigan (cabinet
member for Education) and Chris Bradshaw (Director of Education) they
demonstrably have not.
The closure of Pentre Primary was proposed under the
conditions relating to ‘The Schools Organisation Proposals’ that has since been
replaced by the ‘School Organisation Code’. It is clear that ministerial
guidance was ignored when the Council failed to produce a community impact
assessment at the formative stages, hardly a glowing example of ‘abiding by the
rules’. This issue is addressed by AM Leighton Andrews in his letter to the
Welsh Government Minister for Education, Huw Lewis.
“It is clear
that Paragraph 1.8 of the Guidance intends that the community impact assessment
should be prepared before the consultation which takes place prior to
statutory procedures.
No Community
Impact Assessment was prepared by RCT CBC for the consultation that took place prior to statutory
procedures. This is not in dispute, and is confirmed in a letter to me from the
Director of Education and Lifelong Learning of RCT CBC dated 25th June 2013 . In his letter to me, the Director stated:
Community
and Equality Impact Assessments, as required under paragraphs 1.12 (i) and (v)
of the Guidance (which you have also stated have not been given consideration)
are always prepared and sent to Welsh Government as part of the evidence base
we are required to provide. These assessments are informed by the
community feedback we receive from the consultation. As a result they
better reflect the views of key stakeholders and not those of the officers
drafting these assessments.
This
statement demonstrates that the Council did not prepare a Community Impact
Assessment for consultation prior to statutory procedures, but only
did so after receiving feedback
from the consultation. The Council was therefore in clear breach of the
Guidance.”
Under the new ‘School Organisation Code’ this becomes a
statutory requirement but there is a nasty sting in the tail. In future if
objections are made to a proposed school closure they will no longer be
referred to the Welsh Government. In effect RCT CBC
will police itself. Not a prospect that fills me with confidence. During the
meeting Councillor Hannigan again raised the spectre of ‘surplus places’
choosing to ignore the far more important issues of child poverty and child
safety as she has done consistently throughout every stage of the process.
May I remind Councillor Hannigan that Aberllechau
Primary School Caegarw
Primary school
“My biggest concern
was the location and journey to the secondary school. It’s safe for savvy
teens to negotiate the roads, but the A4059 is a very busy road for
parents with one, two or maybe more little ones.”
The route children will have to travel from Pentre to
Treorchy is at least as dangerous as those faced by the children of Caegarw and
Aberllechau so what is the difference? Could it be that both those schools were
sited in the wards of Labour Councillors? It cannot surely be the issue of
surplus places as what responsible Council or Council member would elevate such
a consideration above the safety and well being of the children entrusted to
its care?
Councillor Hannigan apparently, as during the meeting she
stated that on the previous Friday she and the Director of Education met with
Mr Lewis and was assured that the issue of surplus places was still a top
priority. She explained to the Minister that there were still outstanding
school closure proposals and had been further assured that these would be dealt
with speedily. Councillor Hannigan confidently predicted that it was even
possible a ruling on Pentre would be made before March 2014.
Councillor Hannigan can be assured that we will make our own
enquiries as to whether this meeting actually took place as it would seem to me
to be prejudicial to the whole process of ministerial review. Not that flouting
procedures established in case law appears to worry RCT CBC .
Among the letters of objection that were not allowed to see the light of day
due to Deputy Leader Cannon’s ruling was one from our barrister Jerry Heap Q.C.
It in fact forms the basis of our legal objection to the proposed closure and
is based on well established case law with regard to the process of
consultation. It could prove to be the basis of a very important test case for
schools within Rhondda Cynon Taff. If RCT CBC
is allowed to take action that a court would rule unlawful then what recourse
do we have as individuals other than to turn to the law itself? It seems that
RCT CBC believes in the majority of
instances people will simply give up.
The Law is an expensive option but what is the alternative
when elected members are prepared to act as if they are somehow elevated above
it. Q.C. Jerry Heap has clinically analysed our position and his legal
objection on behalf of the Pentre Primary Action Group clearly demonstrates
that RCT CBC ’s decision to implement the
proposal is unlawful. Below is an extract:
4.1 That the Council lacked the intention of
taking into account any responses it might receive is demonstrated by its
ignoring or belittling the factors which tell against the proposal to close
Pentre Primary School and in particular –
(i) its ignoring in formulating that proposal
the vital issues mentioned in sub-paragraphs 3.7, 3.8 and 3.9 above (community
impact, child poverty and road safety issue);
(ii) the attitude of its cabinet member for
education, Eudine Hannigan, in glibly if not brutally dismissing any
consideration of the impact the proposal might have on the local community.
4.2 The Council’s failure properly to take into
account the responses it has received is clearly demonstrated by its failure to
publish a balanced report which evidences that the Council has taken into
account the many objections it has received in response to its proposal. PPAG is unable to identify any documentary or
other evidence which demonstrates that the Council has taken any account
(whether conscientiously or otherwise) the responses it has received during the
consultation process.
4.3
It was interesting to note that Counsellor Heap refers to
the Council ‘ignoring or belittling the
factors which tell against its proposal’. It is exactly the same approach
used to justify the proposed changes to nursery education. First they propose
the changes and then they seek to denigrate and belittle the tremendous work
that has been undertaken in nursery and reception education in RCT throughout
the years, a service that has been the envy of almost every other Authority.
Shame on them!
Be assured we have no intention of giving up the fight.
