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RESOLVED that: 4.1 The 2026/27 – 2028/29 Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation be received; 4.2 The Charging Digest detailed in Appendix C to the report be endorsed.
RESOLVED that the report be received.
RESOLVED that the 2026/27 Business Plans relevant to Education and Inclusion Services within the Department of Education and Leisure be endorsed.
RESOLVED that the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report be received.
RESOLVED that: 8.1 the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 17th March 2026 be noted. 8.2 The Committee’s Forward Work Plan be updated to include the matters referred to above.
Apologies for absence were received from Councillor P. Hughes-Griffiths and Ms Deborah Elias, Co-opted Member.
Councillor / Officer Minute Number Nature of Interest Cllr. B. W. Jones 4. Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2026/27 to 2028/29 Son is Headteacher of a school within Carmarthenshire. Cllr Jones has been granted dispensation by the Standards Committee allowing her to speak and make representations only. Cllr. B. W. Jones 5. Headteacher Groups Update Son is Headteacher of a school within Carmarthenshire. Cllr Jones has been granted dispensation by the Standards Committee allowing her to speak and make representations only. Cllr. B. W. Jones 7. Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring report 2025/26 Son is Headteacher of a school within Carmarthenshire. Cllr Jones has been granted dispensation by the Standards Committee allowing her to speak and make representations only. There were no declarations of prohibited party whips.
The Chair advised that no public questions had been received.
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RESOLVED that: 4.1 The 2026/27 – 2028/29 Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation be received; 4.2 The Charging Digest detailed in Appendix C to the report be endorsed.
[NOTE: Councillor B.W. Jones, having earlier declared an interest in this item, remained in the meeting during its consideration but did not vote]. The Committee considered a report on the Council’s Revenue Budget Strategy 2026/2027 to 2028/2029 and which provided Members with the current view of the revenue budget for 2026/2027, together with indicative figures for the 2027/2028 and 2028/2029 financial years. The report was based on officers’ projections of spending requirements and took account of the provisional settlement issued by Welsh Government (WG) on 24 November 2025. The Committee was reminded that the report had been considered by the Cabinet at its meeting on 15 December 2025 and members of the Committee had also attended recent consultation events which had provided an opportunity to analyse and seek clarification on various aspects of the budget. The report indicated that the proposed financial model for 2026/27 had been shaped by significant uncertainty and required savings of £9.6 million combined with a 6.5% council tax increase. Despite that, a funding gap totalling £3.5m remained which would need to be bridged through a combination of additional savings, additional council tax and/or an emergency use of reserves. The Committee was informed that the announced provisional settlement represented a 2.3% increase for Carmarthenshire, which, taking account of the ‘transfers-in’, equated to £17.9m and would leave a substantial funding shortfall due to the scale of the additional cost pressures facing Carmarthenshire, particularly in respect of the Employers National Insurance rates. In terms of Welsh Government Service Specific Grants, it was noted that most would remain at the same cash value to previous years, thereby resulting in a detrimental impact on outputs due to the increase in general inflation and pay awards. The Cabinet Member for Resources referred to a total of £15m new expenditure pressures which had been identified by departments and which was necessary for the Council to deliver its main services at the current level. In this regard, the Committee was informed that an additional £1m would be allocated for Additional Learning Needs, Specialist Behavioural support, and Education other than at school. However, the Cabinet Member for Resources advised that since the publication of the report a Senedd budget deal had been agreed that would provide an extra allocation of almost £300m in additional investment for councils, the NHS and social care. For Carmarthenshire this would mean an RSG uplift of 4.1% to run its day-to-day services and equated to an additional funding allocation of almost £7m. Accordingly, this funding would enable the council to eradicate the draft budget deficit of £3.5m, lower the proposed increase of 6.5% in Council Tax, provide funding to maintain or enhance specific services and remove some of the savings proposals under consideration. Reference was also made to the £5m saved through a reduction in employer pension contributions following the latest valuation of the Dyfed pension fund, which mitigated against either a further £5m of service cuts or a further 5% increase in council tax. The Cabinet Member for Resources emphasised that whilst the additional funding was positive and to be welcomed, the budget pressures facing the council remained significant and ongoing. An overview of the updated position on the current financial outlook, as set out at section 4 of the report, was provided to the Committee which took account of the provisional settlement and also other recent validation changes. The Committee thereupon considered the following detailed budget information appended to the Strategy, relevant to its remit:- · Appendix A(i) – Efficiency summary for Education including Schools. · Appendix A(ii) – Growth Pressures summary for Education including Schools. · Appendix B – Budget monitoring report for Education including Schools. · Appendix C – Charging Digest for Education including Schools. A number of comments and queries were made and addressed in respect of the report. The main matters were as follows: · Attention was drawn to the Peer Panel Assessment recommendation set out at section 3.3.4 to the report which called upon the Authority to move towards a more holistic transformation programme to bring larger benefits at greater pace. The Committee was advised that an in-house transformation team was in place, and a report could be brought back to the Committee setting out the range of transformation activities in respect of education, including the innovative use of AI, agency expenditure and a proposed pilot between two secondary schools looking at a range of back office functions. · Reference was made to section 3.5 to the report which set out the schools’ delegated budget position whereby an assurance was sought that the measures being progressed to assist schools would reduce the inherent risks identified and prevent the destabilisation of the Authority wider finances. The Committee was appraised of the Authority’s ongoing actions to mitigate the budgetary over expenditure by way of a strengthened approach of additional support and advice to primary schools, which showed some signs of positivity by way of improved budgetary projections. Work had also been initiated to support secondary schools to improve their budgetary positions, which was progressing at pace. · A query was raised regarding Adult and Community Learning set out at Appendix B to the report which indicated that the expected franchise income and grants would not cover cost of running service. The Head of Financial Services confirmed that further information regarding the Authority’s position would be collated and circulated to the Committee. · In respect of the Charging Digest set out at Appendix C to the report, it was queried whether support could be provided to families in respect of the proposed 8.6% increase applied to the cafeteria tariff to reflect general inflation and increased food costs. The Director of Education and Leisure acknowledged the challenges in this regard and provided an assurance that the current delivery model for catering services was currently being reviewed. An update report would be provided to the Committee following conclusion of the review. · It was highlighted that the introduction of Universal Provision of Free School Meals across primary schools negated the incentive for families to apply for Free School Meal status which adversely impacted upon the level of funding accessible to schools by way of the Pupil Development Grant. The Director of Education and Leisure acknowledged the concerns raised and provided an assurance that representations continued to be made to Welsh Government, who were exploring an alternative appropriate measure of deprivation. In the interim period, endeavours were being made to raise awareness of the benefits for families to apply for Free School Meal status. · It was raised that enhanced training was required for members of the finance sub-committees within school governing bodies, together with the provision of timely reports to enable the effective scrutiny and review of information in advance of meetings. The Cabinet Member for Education clarified that an array of training and development opportunities were available to Governing Bodies subject to sufficient demand, however the management of schools was the responsibility of Governing Bodies, including arrangements for meetings and the circulation of the associated reports. It was also noted that attendance at training events for governors was often disappointing. · An update was requested in respect of the most recent budgetary forecast whereby it was highlighted that the information presented may not reflect the most up to date budgetary position due to the delay in receiving the data. It was considered that this issue was further compounded due to the timeliness of the Welsh Government announcement of grant funding, which could restrict the Committee in effectively undertaking its budget monitoring role. The Head of Financial Services explained that there was, at times, delays in receiving budgetary forecasts due to the sequencing of the democratic meeting cycle and it was reported that a modest improvement to the budgetary position was expected at year end. The Cabinet Member for Education reported that interventions were having a positive impact on school budgets and had reduced the over expenditure, however it was not expected that the over expenditure would be eradicated; accordingly, implementation of the Authority’s Modernising in Education Programme (MEP) was considered necessary. In terms of grant awards, favourable grant movements could be received at year end and would result in a net improvement within school budgets. Though not guaranteed, it was emphasised that receipt of any such grant funding was welcomed to support budgets, however strategic planning in this regard was difficult, particularly in respect of the differing parameters of the terms and conditions for each grant. RESOLVED that: 4.1 The 2026/27 – 2028/29 Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation be received; 4.2 The Charging Digest detailed in Appendix C to the report be endorsed.
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RESOLVED that the report be received.
[NOTE: Councillor B.W. Jones, having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting during its consideration but did not vote]. The Committee received for consideration the Headteacher Groups update report, which provided members with an update regarding actions and outcomes on pertinent issues relating to school management, education policy and local authority initiatives. A number of comments and queries were made and addressed in respect of the report. The main matters were as follows: • In response to a query the Director of Education and Leisure provided a synopsis of the range of activities undertaken, including task and finish groups which sought to address specific challenges across the county’s schools. In response to a request, the Committee welcomed a suggestion put forth by the Director of Education and Leisure for representatives from the Carmarthenshire Association of Secondary Heads (CASH) and Carmarthenshire Association of Primary Heads (CAPH) to attend a future meeting or development session of the Committee to provide an opportunity for members to contribute to the work of the groups. • In response to comments made an assurance was provided that the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) was a key focus area for schools and a standard discussion item for meetings with the Headteachers. RESOLVED that the report be received.
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RESOLVED that the 2026/27 Business Plans relevant to Education and Inclusion Services within the Department of Education and Leisure be endorsed.
The Committee received for consideration the draft 2026/27 Business Plans relevant to the following divisions: · Education Services, Department of Education and Leisure · Inclusion Services, Department of Education and Leisure Reference was made to the recent workshop provided for the Committee to review the business plans and which afforded members the opportunity of reviewing the key focus areas in terms of learner progress, wellbeing, equity and long-term sustainability within the context of the Authority’s risk management, governance and business continuity arrangements. The Committee duly reviewed the proposed actions and measures for appropriateness in delivering against the Council’s Corporate Strategy and maintaining the Council’s key functions. The Plans set out clear priorities, evidence-based actions, and a robust approach to improvement for the year ahead in order to progress towards its long-term vision to 2032: to ensure that every learner in Carmarthenshire is happy, safe, thrive, and achieving their full potential. In this regard it was noted that the department would strive to continue to modernise services, strengthen collaboration and explore new, more efficient ways of working, including the safe and practical use of digital tools and AI. A number of comments and queries were made and addressed in respect of the report. The main matters were as follows: • Reference was made to the WESP ambitions to move schools along the language continuum whereby a concern was raised that this could lead to recruitment challenges, with non-Welsh speaking teaching students moving from the area. The Cabinet Member for Education explained that the Authority was required to comply with the statutory provisions enshrined within the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013 and the regulations made under it. The challenges and ambitions of the WESP were acknowledged, however an assurance of the support available to schools in this regard was provided to members, with feedback provided by schools indicating that they were supportive and keen to progress through the language continuum. • Further information was sought on action 18605 in respect of the Tackling Poverty thematic priority. The Head of Education Services clarified that this area sought to develop ways of providing appropriate support to pupils and wider families through school support staff and by way of enhanced communication and engagement. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the 2026/27 Business Plans relevant to Education and Inclusion Services within the Department of Education and Leisure be endorsed.
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RESOLVED that the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report be received.
[NOTE: Councillor B.W. Jones, having earlier declared an interest in this item remained in the meeting during its consideration, but did not vote.] The Committee considered the 2025/26 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring report for Education services including Schools for the period up to the 31st October 2025. The Committee’s attention was drawn to Appendix A whereby it was noted that the revenue budget forecasted an overspend of £8.6m, which was attributable to Schools Delegated Budgets. Whilst the budgetary position showed a £1m improvement from the previous forecast received by members, the position remained unsustainable. The central education services forecasted a £68k overspend for the year end, whereas the schools delegated budget projected a £10m deficit. In considering Appendices B and C, the Committee was appraised of the main revenue variances followed by the variances across all of the services in terms of the under expenditure in education psychology which was offset by over expenditure in ALN and school meals services. Appendix D showed the projection for each school based on their 6 month returns. The Committee reviewed the main variances on capital schemes set out at Appendices E and F which showed a forecasted net spend of £4,626k compared with a working net budget of £22,936k thereby giving a -£18,310k variance. Appendix G to the report outlined the progress in delivering the proposed efficiencies for the current year. A number of comments and queries were made and addressed in respect of the report. The main matters were as follows: • To enable the Committee to focus upon salient points, a request was made for future reports to be restructured to include more narrative and context, together with any mitigating actions in respect of those areas showing significant over expenditure and under expenditure. It was also reiterated that due to the delay in the Committee receiving budgetary forecasts, the financial position set out within the report could be out of date and no longer relevant, and which restricted the Committee in effectively undertaking its budget monitoring role. · In response to a query, the Director of Education and Leisure provided a synopsis of the support provided by a consultant and former headteacher to secondary schools in improving their budgetary positions and the different challenges and complexities between primary and secondary schools was highlighted to the Committee. It was reported that arrangements would be made for the Committee to receive an update on the progress made thus far by way of a development session. • Concerns were raised in respect of the maintenance procurement contract framework available for schools, whereby the cost of utilising the Authority’s services could be significantly higher in comparison to some local contractors. The Director of Education and Leisure acknowledged the concerns raised, which were reflective of the feedback provided by schools and reported that the Head of Economic Development and Property was very aware of these concerns. The point was also made that any work to school facilities needed to be undertaken within the parameters of the required construction and health and safety compliance protection. RESOLVED that the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report be received.
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RESOLVED that: 8.1 the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 17th March 2026 be noted. 8.2 The Committee’s Forward Work Plan be updated to include the matters referred to above.
The Committee received a list of forthcoming items to be considered at its next meeting to be held on the 17th March 2026. It was confirmed that the items requested during the meeting in relation to the following areas would be incorporated into the Committee’s Forward Work Plan: • Progress report on the transformation programme for education. · Report on the outcome of the catering services model review. · Development Session with Headteacher Group representatives to provide an opportunity for members to review and contribute to the ongoing workstreams. • Development Session to provide an overview of the progress made to support secondary schools in improving their budgetary positions. UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that: 8.1 the list of forthcoming items to be considered at the next scheduled meeting on the 17th March 2026 be noted. 8.2 The Committee’s Forward Work Plan be updated to include the matters referred to above.
UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on the 2nd December 2025 be signed as a correct record.
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