Llafur / Labour

Safbwynt y Blaid Lafur / The Labour Group's standpoint (25 Cynghorydd / 25 Councillors)

The report "Planning School Places - Primary Schools - The Way Forward" was presented to County Council at its meeting of 11/4/2001 when the Council agreed to "support the rationalisation principles outlined in the report".

Minutes and supporting reports/attachments provide the full detail and these clearly demonstrate that the rationalisation principles referred to include the commitment to "radically review current provision and reassert locations, sizes and nature of community schools required in the longer term." The report also confirmed that "rationalisation as suggested would inevitably mean fewer schools".

This report was accepted as you can see by the last council which as you know was a Plaid Cymru and Independent controlled with Labour as the opposition group. However, Labour Councillors including myself supported this without any reservations.

I would therefore suggest that the policy as now embedded in the MEP Strategy document has already been approved by CC at its meeting of April 2001 and that the "new aspect", if that is the right phrase, is the publication of a draft plan for implementation of that policy.

It is a draft plan and as such subject to consultation. It will require further discussion and a formal decision of Council before any particular school is designated for closure. There will be ample opportunity to discuss any particular issues at that time and I am sure that the Labour Group will take any proposal for closure on merit at the time. In other words it is a matter for local determination and local democracy; not a policy decision of the Labour Party in Wales or any where else but here in Carmarthenshire.

Martin Morris (Labour Group Leader - Carmarthenshire County Council)

Manylion Cysylltu'r Cynghorwyr / Carmarthenshire Councillors Contact Details