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The decisions as the council's minutes record them. A plain-language summary follows once it has been written.
AGREED – (i) That the work programme set out in report COGC/50/25 be agreed. (ii) That it be requested that the Groves Task and Finish Group be reconvened as soon as possible.
AGREED – (i) That the Lead Member and Officers be thanked for the comprehensive report. (ii) That the Committee received a further report in 12 months’ time. (ii) That any interim updates to be circulated to Committee members in the meantime.
AGREED – (i) That the Committee continue to monitor pressures associated with school transport and receive an update in 6 months to include emerging findings from the policy review. (ii) That the Committee are aware of the ongoing pressures and acknowledge the high priority work being undertaken.
The Chair welcomed to the Committee new co-opted members George Greenwood and Sam Regan.
Apologies for absence were submitted on behalf of co-opted members Alison Fisher, Sian Hatton-Jones and Sam Regan.
AGREED – That the Minutes of the Meeting held on 14 May 2025 be signed as a correct record.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – (i) That the work programme set out in report COGC/50/25 be agreed. (ii) That it be requested that the Groves Task and Finish Group be reconvened as soon as possible.
The Chief Officer Governance and Customer submitted a report (COGC/50/25) for members to consider the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee’s work programme. During debate the following matters were discussed: · The Work Programme would be updated for consideration at the July meeting. · Requested that the Groves Task and Finish Group be reconvened to progress outstanding matters and concerns. · Meetings of this Committee to continue at 4:00pm, despite varied preferences, in order to support attendance. Efforts would be made to manage the length of meetings. AGREED – (i) That the work programme set out in report COGC/50/25 be agreed. (ii) That it be requested that the Groves Task and Finish Group be reconvened as soon as possible.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – (i) That the Lead Member and Officers be thanked for the comprehensive report. (ii) That the Committee received a further report in 12 months’ time. (ii) That any interim updates to be circulated to Committee members in the meantime.
The Lead Member for Education submitted a report (COEEI/16/25) providing an update on the Education Estate Capital Investment projects. The report highlighted further progress against the programme of works in the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme and provided Committee with the latest data available on the condition of schools, together with two example schools with greater detail. In addition, the report included a revised School Organisation Framework. Presenting the report the Lead Member highlighted the financial pressures and recognised the valuable contributions of Officers in progressing the programme. Members considered the report and asked questions of the Lead Member and Officers present. During debate the following matters were highlighted: · A correction to paragraph 4.23 of the report was noted - there were 8 Category B schools and 1 Category C school. · Noted that schools retained the option to retain funding and manage their own repairs under existing regulations. · Explained that the council remained committed to a nine-year capital plan for school infrastructure. Phase 1 projects had been confirmed, while Phases 2 and 3 remained indicative and subject to evolving priorities, including Welsh-medium and Additional Learning Needs (ALN) provision. · Throughout the programme a review would be undertaken to align with emerging demand and priorities. · The timeline for new school construction was outlined to Committee. Once the business case was supported by Welsh Government development typically took 12 months before construction commenced, with build times ranging from 12 to 15 months depending on site complexity. · Risks remained throughout projects including funding from partners, allocation of land and planning permission. · Noted that school condition ratings followed national A–D standards. · A third party supplier had carried out condition surveys across Wrexham schools during 2024. The information from the surveys will be used to prioritise the planned programme of works. · Some schools had moved category due to aging components identified in updated surveys. No schools were currently rated Category D. · The capital maintenance grant also supported issues raised in the evaluation. · Maintenance decisions prioritised safety and operational risks. Less critical issues were logged and monitored and schools were expected to report concerns where appropriate. Non-subscribing schools were monitored through health and safety audits. · Environmental considerations were embedded in all new projects. AGREED – (i) That the Lead Member and Officers be thanked for the comprehensive report. (ii) That the Committee received a further report in 12 months’ time. (ii) That any interim updates to be circulated to Committee members in the meantime.
Decision as recorded
AGREED – (i) That the Committee continue to monitor pressures associated with school transport and receive an update in 6 months to include emerging findings from the policy review. (ii) That the Committee are aware of the ongoing pressures and acknowledge the high priority work being undertaken.
The Lead Member for Education submitted a report (COET/26/25) updating the Committee on work being undertaken to address budget pressures within school transport provision. Introducing the report the Lead Member referred to the c.£2 million budget increase for 2025–26 to help meet rising demand however pressures remained due to various factors including growing Additional Learning Needs (ALN) demand and rising costs. An external review undertaken by Peopletoo had confirmed that Wrexham’s approach to school transport was in line with other councils and had also provided areas for development. The main work streams for school transport were outlined in the report. Members considered the report and asked questions. The following matters were highlighted during debate: · Pressures on the budget were expected to continue this year given current levels of transport provision. · Noted that a review of the school transport policy would commence in September. · Members requested that the revised draft school transport policy be brought back to committee prior to submission to the Executive Board. · Officers confirmed the tendering process was robust and was managed through a dynamic purchasing system, with around 40 registered operators and an average of 4 bids per contract. · Value for money was monitored, with unusually high bids reviewed, particularly where only one bid was received. · Forecasting remained challenging due to fluctuating pupil need, particularly for ALN and out-of-county placements. Officers were using five years of data to improve accuracy. · Transport pressures were recognised as a national issue with increasing ALN needs and complex medical requirements contributing to rising costs. · The use of the pupil referral unit remained more cost-effective than out-of-county placements. · Transport supply remained generally adequate but there had been challenges in respect of specialist vehicles. · Teaching assistants were sometimes used as school escorts which had proven beneficial due to their familiarity with pupils. · In respect of concessionary seats it was noted that Officers were working to notify families during the summer. · Concern raised about the lack of post-16 transport support, particularly of concern in areas where there were no public bus services. Broader public transport issues were acknowledged but fell outside of the committee’s remit. AGREED – (i) That the Committee continue to monitor pressures associated with school transport and receive an update in 6 months to include emerging findings from the policy review. (ii) That the Committee are aware of the ongoing pressures and acknowledge the high priority work being undertaken.
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