Labour angry over accusations

Rocke

Difficult to say anything about this without it being taken to be political, or being seized upon for political ends.

If everyone stopped trying to score points ( or rather, since it's politics, stopped trying to stick mud on everyone else ) it would be a lot easier.

The major and most significant fact at the moment is that a decision has been taken to enter the formal process to close Nantyglo School.
Referring to the past will not alter this ( but I'll bring it up later ).

That decision came about because fairly urgent action needs to be taken to avoid the situation where the money available to provide an education for every pupil becomes so thinly spread as to affect the quality of that education.

As I see it, there is absolutely no argument against what I've just said.
The Labour Party acknowledged it by creating the working group in the first place, and this administration acknowledges it by the very fact that it is carrying on with the process.

What is a bone of contention is how it should be done. It is a pity, but understandable, that a concensus cannot be achieved.
It is unfortunate that at an appropriate and vital point in the group's deliberating process not all members participated.
That was the point at which the decision was taken to use a 2-phase approach - Ebbw Fach valley first, followed by Ebbw Fawr and Tredegar.
A big factor in this was the considerable amount of consultation and work that would be needed ( you'll probably realsie how much has gone into just the Ebbw Fach review - thus far ). It would be a barrier to solid progress.
Another was that historically there is not much interchange of pupils domiciled in one valley being educated in another.
Abertillery, Blaina, Nantyglo sit naturally together, as do Ebbw Vale and Tredegar. Brynmawr, due to its special status and its geographic position, is on the cusp, as it were.

The arguments being put forward now ( the so-called 'holistic approach' ) were not put forward then ( though the option was considered ).

That doesn't mean that they couldn't have been considered as part of the informal consultation.
But no-one put them forward, despite another 4 options being proffered and added to the final list for decision.

If we look at the past - factually - then the significant drop in the birthrate in the mid-90's should have forewarned the council.
I don't know why no action was taken then but had it have been then the possible outcome of the required rationalisation might have been different.
I mention this for one reason - hindsight is a wonderful thing and foresight is nowhere near a precise science.
However, doing nothing is like listening to the weatherman warning of a possible foot of snow and deciding : a) he might be wrong; b) an uncommon warm spell will melt it away very quickly, so any disruption will be very short-lived; c) the calvary will ride to the rescue and bale you out.
In reality of course you should a) assume he knows what he's talking about; b) prepare for it by ensuring there's enough food and fuel not just for you but the neighbours, just in case, and make sure you've got the tools to dig yourself out; c) ascertain what help you can expect/will get ; d) realise that a foot of snow doesn't mean a day or two of disruption and that it is reasonable to assume that more will follow later, so doubly prepare for it.

Unfortunately we've got hold of this issue just as the first flakes are beginning to fall. Therefore we have to make all judicious speed that we can.

If we argue semantics then yes, the Labour Party did have a plan - 'the School’s Redevelopment Working Group was set-up with a view to tackling the problem through Blaenau Gwent as a whole.'
Setting up a working group to tackle the problem for Blaenau Gwent as a whole.

So the plan was to set up a working group ?
Well that working group was set up.
A working group that would lead to the solution for the whole of Blaenau Gwent ?
Well that was set up, and in my view it is going to lead to a solution for the whole of Blaenau Gwent.

To me, the only difference of opinion is the question of the School's Development Working Group providing that total solution.

This perhaps reflects the difference in thinking between the previous administration and this one.

You see, to me 2 halves make a whole.
And completing this first half will provide the time and ease the pressure on the rest of the Borough's secondary schools, perhaps until a time when money becomes available.

hedleymccarthy

The holistic approach was, of course, put forward by the last council before E Day and anything less would not have been tolerated by the Labour Group, the Chief Executive was anxious that we set up Schools Redevelopment Working Party before election in order that we started a ball rolling which probably should have been kicked by my predecessor and may possibly not be kicked by any successor ( such is the tragedy of elections Laughing

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I understand that the present administration is considering a 12 month stay of execution for Garnlydan Primary in the face of public outcry and that worried parents are calling a public meeting at Abertillery on April 22nd.