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Education

National Independent Safeguarding Board announced

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On safeguarding panel: Former Children’s Commissioner, Keith Towler

On safeguarding panel: Former Children’s Commissioner, Keith Towler

DR MARGARET FLYNN has been appointed the chair of a new national board to oversee the work of protecting adults and children in Wales, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has announced

The National Independent Safeguarding Board has been established under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014. It will work alongside the regional safeguarding adults boards and safeguarding children boards to secure improvements in safeguarding policy and practice throughout Wales.

Dr Flynn has a wealth of knowledge of adult safeguarding. She undertook the serious case review into the physical and psychological abuse suffered by people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviour at Winterbourne View Hospital in south Gloucestershire.

In December 2013, she was commissioned by the First Minister of Wales to undertake a review of the neglect of older people living in care homes in Gwent, investigated as Operation Jasmine.

The chair and board members were appointed by Welsh Ministers through an open public appointments process.

Health and Social Services Minister, Mark Drakeford said: “The new National Independent Safeguarding Board will play important role in ensuring we have the right policies and initiatives in place to safeguard children and adults across Wales.

“I am therefore very pleased to announce the appointment of Margaret Flynn as the first chair of the new board. Margaret has a wealth of knowledge of adult safeguarding, and I’m delighted we have secured someone of her calibre to be the board’s first chair.

“I’m also pleased to appoint Keith Towler, Ruth Henke, Simon Birch, Jan Pickles and Rachel Shaw as members of the board. Each will bring a broad range of experiences and expertise to the board.”

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Education

Haverfordwest school wins fight to keep mobile classroom

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A CALL to allow a Pembrokeshire school to keep a mobile classroom in use for nearly 16 years, as there is no money for a replacement facility, has been approved by county planners.

Pembrokeshire County Council, in an application to county planners, sought a renewal of permission for the mobile classroom at Fenton Community Primary School, Jury Lane, Haverfordwest.

The mobile classroom has been in use since the start of 2009.

A statement in support of the application said: “This application seeks retrospective planning consent for the continued retention of the existing mobile classroom.  Access and parking arrangements would remain as existing.

“The mobile classroom is used on a daily basis, and provides a vital facility for the children who use it. This application is for the retention of the existing mobile classroom to ensure the children can continue to benefit from its use.

“There is currently no budget available to provide a more permanent solution.”

It added: “The mobile is located at the rear of the school, adjacent to the rear fenced boundary and generally out of public view.  The mobile is in close proximity to the main school building to provide ease of use.”

The application has now been conditionally approved by Pembrokeshire County Council planners.

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Education

Bid for pupils to access free school transport turned down

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A CALL to review school catchment areas, allowing school pupils from Johnston, Tiers Cross and Neyland access to free school transport to the nearby Haverfordwest high school has been turned down by senior councillors.

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.

Two petitions calling for the reinstatement of the former catchment areas to access free transport for pupils to Haverfordwest were started in the county last year, effectively reverting to the position that was in place prior to the reorganisation of secondary education provision in Haverfordwest in 2018.

Johnston/Tiers Cross was considered by Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools and Learning Overview and Scrutiny Committee last November and the Neyland petition by full council last December, with both referred to the council’s Cabinet, in this case the February meeting, where it was recommended the situation remained unchanged.

A report for members said: “Revisions of school catchment areas are normally considered and decided by Cabinet, but in the case of the changes to the Johnston, Tiers Cross and Neyland areas, these were considered as part of the wider complex process of reorganisation of secondary education in mid and north west Pembrokeshire during the period 2014 – 2018, i.e. by full council.

“The petitions specifically relate to the closure of Sir Thomas Picton and Tasker Milward schools prior to the formation of Haverfordwest High VC School in September 2018. Prior to this reorganisation of schools, pupils living in the Neyland CP School catchment area fed into Sir Thomas Picton School, and those living in the Johnston / Tiers Cross area fed into Tasker Milward School.”

It stressed: “Whilst parents/carers may exercise their preference for any school of their choice from an admissions perspective, their entitlement to free home to school transport is determined by their home location.”

The report, presented to members by Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language Cllr Guy Woodham, concluded: “It is considered that the justification for the change in catchment areas as part of secondary school reorganisation in Haverfordwest and Milford Haven in 2017/18 remains valid.

“Retaining the geographical areas of Johnston, Tiers Cross and Neyland as part of the Milford Haven School catchment area continues to provide the greatest opportunity to equalise pupil numbers across our schools, particularly given the significant housing developments likely to be delivered during Local Development Plan 2.

“The potential pupil yield arising from the Slade Lane [Haverfordwest] development alone is significant, and it is logical that they should attend secondary provision in Haverfordwest.  This is an important point given the responsibility of the council to plan provision to meet demand for school places.”

“Officers are currently preparing the Strategic Outline Case in relation to the redevelopment of primary and secondary education provision in Milford Haven.  Any significant change in the pupil population, e.g. arising as a result of a change in catchment is likely to add further delay, given the need to amend the project brief.”

Members voted seven to two in favour of the recommendation; councillors Paul Miller and Tessa Hodgson voting against.

Commenting after the decision, Johnston county councillor Aled Thomas said: “Deeply disappointed that Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet [that morning] voted against calls to return Johnston CP school to the Haverfordwest catchment, despite the overwhelming support from the majority of Johnston residents and indeed schoolchildren attending Haverfordwest High School after leaving Johnston Primary.”

Neyland county councillor Simon Hancock said: “I am really disappointed the cabinet did not agree to change the catchment area for Neyland children back to Haverfordwest.  The cabinet papers were substantial, but I believe some of the data was incomplete or out of date.  The very least the authority should do is to support those Neyland parents who send their children to Haverfordwest High VC School with the provision of transport.  I believe there is capacity.”

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Education

Gas leak forces partial closure of school in Milford Haven

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MILFORD HAVEN Community Primary School’s Prioryville site was forced to close on Monday morning (Feb 17) following a gas leak.

The junior section of the school shut down at 10:15am due to a strong smell of gas in the main corridors. As a precaution, all gas to the site was turned off, leaving the building without heating or hot water.

Pupils were sent home for the remainder of the day while the issue was assessed. It is not yet clear when the site will reopen.

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