Education

At last: The Diamond Report arrives

Published

9 years ago

January 5, 2016

Who’s funding whom?: Welsh students head for England not Wales

A FACTUAL summary of the evidence collected as part of the ongoing review of Higher Education Funding and Student Finance Arrangements in Wales was published last week. The review, which is being carried out by a panel chaired by Sir Ian Diamond, began in April 2014. At that stage it was agreed that Sir Ian would produce a factual summary of the evidence he and the panel had collected in autumn 2015. Education Minister, Huw Lewis said: “Since April 2014 Sir Ian Diamond and his review panel have made good progress in reviewing a wide range of evidence and data relating to the Higher Education sector and to Higher Education funding. “The report identifies the key themes arising from that evidence, however it does not make any judgement about the validity or significance of that evidence.

Nor does it seek to represent the Review panel’s view or provide any recommendations. These will be presented in the final report which will be issued in September 2016.” Remarkably, the Minister’s statement contained no reference to the key evidence referred to in the report and the bald summary of facts it presented; namely that the current system of funding undergraduate higher education as it is currently constituted is unsupportable. Welsh Conservatives were swift to welcome Professor Diamond’s interim finding, which they claim confirm the party’s long-standing criticism of Labour’s ‘unsustainable’ tuition fees policy. The report’s conclusion that ‘many respondents were strongly of the view that, in light of sustainability concerns, there is a need to revisit the tuition fee grant policy’ was also highlighted by a Conservative press release which pointed out that their opinions had been reinforced by those expressed by Universities Wales, the Learned Society of Wales and in a report commissioned by the University and Colleges Union, which also called the policy ‘unsustainable’.

Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Education, Angela Burns AM, said: “We welcome the review’s interim findings, which confirm what we have always said; Labour’s policy is entirely unsustainable. “This blunder has always been a misguided vanity project and the evidence against it continues to pile up. Welsh Conservatives are committed to replacing it with a progressive system of living cost support to enable students from all walks of life to get to university.” Mrs Burns restated Conservative claims that the Welsh Government’s commitment to capping the burden of tuition fee loans on Welsh students in England was resulting in Welsh public money subsidising English universities. UCAS’s response to Professor Diamond was particularly telling on that last point: ‘The 15 January (2015) statistical release shows that application rates for Welsh applicants choosing to study at English institutions have further increased, whilst numbers choosing to study at Welsh institutions have decreased’.

There has been an increase of 20% in Welsh domiciled applicants applying to English HE providers since 2010. William Powell, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for Mid and West Wales told The Herald he wanted an alternative system for student finance: “Time and time again we see evidence that the struggle to afford living costs is the number one reason why many people are put off applying to go to university. This is why the Welsh Liberal Democrats would change the system and give students financial support upfront to pay for their living costs. William Powell claimed: “This would be a far better arrangement than giving them money in the form of a loan which they have to pay back over a number of years and simply adds an additional burden of debt.” Simon Thomas, Plaid Cymru Shadow Education Minister, said: “There is a case to be made for the refocusing of student support to students studying in Wales, so that Welsh colleges and universities benefit.”

Simon Thomas was clear on the current system’s shortcomings: “The unintended consequence of the current policy – that English universities benefit by millions a year from Welsh government money – must be addressed.” A Welsh Government statement appeared to concede that point, but said the report ‘highlights that Wales is a net importer of students and that as a result Welsh HE institutions receive more in tuition fees from English and other UK students than they pay out to institutions based over the border’. Current higher education (HE) students conveyed mixed views about whether the level of tuition fees acted as a disincentive to young people considering entering HE. Several contributors argued that the sums involved were so large that potential students had become inured to it.

Indeed the fact that it was not a critical consideration for most prospective HE students would seem to support this claim and prospective HE students seemed to take it for granted that they would either earn enough as a result of gaining a degree to be able to pay their debt off relatively easily or, that they would never have to worry about paying back their debt if they did not earn enough. Similarly, HE students alike did not seem themselves as averse to running up debt which would only be repaid in the long-term once earnings thresholds were exceeded. Generally neither current nor prospective HE students were overly concerned about the wider long-term consequences of accruing debt to fund their studies – although student support representatives in particular worried that they ought to be, given that the potential consequences of such debt on longer term prospects (e.g. borrowing for mortgages) was not yet clear. Employers, who generally did not have such a detailed insight into the tuition fees policy, generally thought that the current policy did not seem to be hindering any individuals from enrolling at HE when considering that there was currently an over-supply of graduates within the workforce.

Neither current nor prospective HE students thought that the full £9,000 tuition fees represented reasonable value for money, with some of the more informed current students noting that the idea of a market in HE with institutions offering varying fees had not been realised. It would appear that few prospective HE students had actually given serious consideration to the balance between the costs incurred in attending HE and any premium they would be likely to earn as a result of gaining a degree qualification. Professor Sir Ian Diamond said: “The commitment of so many people to a healthy and vibrant higher education system in Wales bodes well, not only for Welsh Higher Education but, more broadly, for Wales. It further inspires us for the next stage of our work which will be to build on the principles in the interim report to propose a sustainable system of higher education funding for Wales.”

Education

Pembrokeshire free school transport call to be heard at County Hall

Published

7 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to allow school pupils from Johnston and Tiers Cross access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school is to be heard by councillors next week.

Due to a change in catchment areas the pupils are no longer able to access free transport to Haverfordwest, instead coming under the Milford Haven catchment area.

A petition calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment area to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest was recently started in the county.

The e-petition, which ran from September 18-November 1 on the council’s own website, attracted 351 signatures, meeting the threshold for a debate at the relevant Pembrokeshire County Council overview and scrutiny committee, in this case the Schools And Learning Overview And Scrutiny Committee meeting of November 28.

The petition, started by Kirsty Coaker, reads: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to change Johnston and Tiers Cross School Catchment back to Haverfordwest.

“Children of Johnston and Tiers Cross are now ineligible for free school transport to Haverfordwest High due to the areas no longer being in ‘catchment’.

“Both Johnston and Tiers Cross are Haverfordwest postal codes and are classed as Haverfordwest, yet the school catchment is Milford Haven.

“Please help our children access suitable transport to and from secondary school.”

The e-petition will now be considered at the November 28 meeting.

Education

Creative contributions in Operation Ivydene ASB poster competition

Published

24 hours ago

November 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

STUDENTS from across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys have been recognised for their outstanding contributions to a poster competition run as part of the Dyfed-Powys Police Operation Ivydene initiative.

Over the past few months, primary and secondary schools across the four counties were invited to submit designs highlighting the impact of anti-social behaviour (ASB) and the importance of promoting safer neighbourhoods.

Last week, the posters were judged by a panel of police officers and crime prevention specialists to come up with the winners.

A special prize-giving ceremony was held on Monday 18^th November, where the five winning students were honoured for their outstanding contributions.

‘Antisocial behaviour’ is a broad term which includes behaviour that has caused or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to a member or members of the public. Criminal and non-criminal behaviours such as littering, vandalism, public drunkenness, aggressive dogs, or noise nuisance may also be considered ASB.

Caryl Griffiths, ASB Hotspot Co-ordinator for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “The goal of this competition was to engage students in understanding the effects of anti-social behaviour on their communities, and to inspire them to think about how they can contribute to a safer, more supportive environment.

“Judging the competition was challenging due to the high standard of entries, but we ultimately selected five winners who showed exceptional creativity and thoughtfulness.

“A special thanks to Bethan James, our Schools Service Manager, for her role in bringing all the schools together.

Until March 2025, ten of the areas worst hit by antisocial behaviour across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and Powys will receive additional dedicated ‘Hotspot’ police patrols through Operation Ivydene, thanks to an injection of cash from the Home Office, secured for the force by Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn.

The patrols focus on tackling these types of issues in the following areas:

Carmarthenshire – Tyisha, Elli / Llanelli town centre, Carmarthen town and Ammanford.
Ceredigion – Aberystwyth and Aberaeron.
Pembrokeshire – Haverfordwest town centre and Tenby town centre.
Powys – east Newtown and Brecon.

Inspector Darren Crockford said: “Operation Ivydene is a targeted initiative that uses a ‘Hotspot’ policing approach to address and behaviour that constitutes ASB and causes harm and alarm in the community.

“Hotspots have been selected as the areas experiencing the highest volumes of violence and antisocial behaviour (ASB) offences and based on local intelligence.

“The patrols aim to provide a reassuring presence to help people feel safe while also proactively disrupting crime and acting as a deterrent.

“An important element of the overall Operation Ivydene approach will be to engage with our communities having meaningful discussions about how ASB impacts the community, and encourage them to take an active role in creating safe and positive places to live.”

Bethan James, Dyfed-Powys Police Schools Service Manger added: “Our Schools Service offers crime prevention sessions to children and young people on topics such as ASB where we use bespoke films and real-life examples to reflect victims’ experiences and explore the boundaries between fun and fear.

“Sessions delivered by our team of Schools Police Officers are specifically designed to challenge mindsets and attitudes in a safe and supportive learning environment.

“The discussions between the officers and the learners explore the long-lasting, harmful effects of ASB, about crimes and consequences and where children can find advice and support.”

During national Anti-Social Behaviour Week, Dyfed-Powys Police is sharing information to help members of the public recognise, report, and get support for anti-social behaviour. Follow them on Facebook for more information.

Charity

‘Grave concerns’ over national insurance hike

Published

1 day ago

November 21, 2024

Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter

SENEDD Members expressed grave concerns about the impact of the UK Government’s national insurance tax hike on GPs, universities and charities in Wales.

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth warned the rise in employer national insurance contributions from 13.8% to 15% in April will have a disproportionate impact in Wales.

He told the Senedd: “Labour are quick to accuse others of fantasy economics whilst their own plans represent nightmare economics for thousands of employers and employees.”

Raising concerns about the impact on job creation and wages, he said employment levels are at their lowest for almost a decade – lower than anywhere else in the UK.

He accused Labour of breaking a manifesto pledge as he pointed to an Office for Budgetary Responsibility (OBR) assessment that three quarters of the cost will be passed to workers.

Leading a debate on November 20, Mr ap Iorwerth called on the UK Treasury to fully cover the added cost to public sector employers in Wales.

He said: “It’s not the private sector only … bearing the brunt. Charities, GPs, universities – sectors already feeling the squeeze, to say the very least – have been taken to the brink.”

He pointed to “eye-watering” bills of £90,000 for some GPs, with the British Medical Association warning some surgeries could close as a consequence.

Mr ap Iorwerth said mental health charity Plattform faces a £250,000 annual bill and Welsh universities, “already crippled by financial challenges”, will face significant further pressures.

Plaid Cymru’s motion urged Welsh ministers to press the UK Government to apply a wider definition of the public sector workforce to include universities, GPs and charities.

Peter Fox, the Conservatives’ shadow finance secretary, similarly accused Labour of breaking a manifesto commitment not to raise tax on working people.

The former council leader said: “Time and time again – the chancellor went on TV and made the claim, only to u-turn after they got into power.”

Mr Fox, who represents Monmouth, said even a 1% rise in employer national insurance contributions for the public sector would cost Welsh taxpayers an extra £100m.

He told the Senedd: “The UK Government has said that it will provide funding to cover the cost of national insurance contributions for those workers.

“However, this will still come out of the taxpayer’s pocket … ultimately it is the taxpayers who are going to pay for the Chancellor’s tax increase.”

Luke Fletcher, Plaid Cymru’s shadow economy secretary, warned the national insurance rise will be a drag on an “already anaemic” Welsh jobs market.

His colleague Sioned Williams, who also represents South Wales West, described the chancellor’s “back-of-a-fag-packet” plans as senseless.

She raised concerns about six-figure increases in tax bills for charities including Tenovus, Marie Curie, Citizens Advice Cymru and the Wastesavers Charitable Trust.

Cefin Campbell, Plaid’ Cymru’s shadow education secretary, said the national insurance increase will cost Welsh universities an estimated extra £20m a year.

The Mid and West Wales MS warned: “Without a shadow of a doubt, these additional costs could push our higher education institutions over the precipice.”

Labour’s Hefin David said difficult decisions had to be made to fill a £22bn “black hole” left by the Tories but he rejected Plaid Cymru claims of a return to austerity.

Dr David told the Senedd: “Yes, tough decisions have to be made but I think that in the longer term, this is to everyone’s benefit.”

Andrew RT Davies, leader of the Conservative opposition, disputed the “incorrect” £22bn figure, saying the OBR found a £9bn gap.

Replying to the debate, Mark Drakeford stressed that neither he nor the Welsh Government has responsibility for national insurance contributions.

Wales’ finance secretary, who was appointed in September, criticised “fantasy economics” from opposition members on the Plaid Cymru and Conservative benches.

Deriding the “politics of the playground”, he said: “Both of them are willing to spend money on almost anything; neither of them are willing to raise the money necessary from anyone.”

Prof Drakeford said the chancellor returned national insurance broadly to where it had been as a share of gross domestic product for 13 of the 14 Conservative years.

The former First Minister pointed out that the UK Government offset national insurance rises on small employers by more than doubling the employment allowance.

He told the debating chamber or Siambr: “If you want to pay for things, you have to find the money to do so. That is what the chancellor had to do. That is how we will get the money that will come to public services here in Wales.”

Senedd Members voted 25-19 against Plaid Cymru’s motion.