Carmarthenshire faces a significant challenge with nearly 20 schools without permanent head teachers, prompting tough decisions ahead for education.
The situation is pretty emotional, especially when school closures come up. Many of these schools are small and struggling financially. Cllr Alun Lenny pointed out that it’s just not sustainable anymore. They’re even considering reducing the size of some primary schools or closing them altogether, but any savings wouldn’t kick in until 2026-27.
The council has decided not to push for £3.5 million in savings from schools next year. Instead, they’ll need to cover that shortfall through council tax hikes. A 9.75% increase is on the table for 2025-26, but nothing’s set in stone yet.
Lloyd emphasized the need to rethink how many schools they have. The more schools there are, the less money each one gets. Some extra funding from the Welsh Government is coming in, which should help a bit this year, but tough decisions are looming for the future.
The committee learned that schools are in the red for various reasons, like low student numbers and reliance on temporary staff. They’re working with about 25 primary schools to help them cut their deficits, but some are really struggling. They’re also reviewing school catchment areas and talking with nearby councils about how to manage school resources better.
Next year, they plan to invest an extra £500,000 in educational and child psychology services, plus more for additional learning needs. But right now, they only have a handful of staff in that area, and demand is rising.
Lloyd mentioned that they’re trying to find other funding sources for schools. For instance, Ysgol Bryngwyn in Llanelli managed to snag around £100,000 from a foundation. There are plenty of grants available, but it’s a tough road ahead.
Everyone involved knows the pressure on school and council staff is intense. They’re even looking into using AI to help lighten the load for teachers. Cllr Kim Broom stressed that the central government needs to step up on funding, as the deficits in Carmarthenshire are a big deal. The pace of change really needs to pick up.
