Following the closure of the consultation period on Neath Port Talbot Council’s budget proposals for 2016/17, the authority’s political leadership has announced its intention to prioritise schools in terms of the additional budget flexibility now available. This follows the better than expected provisional local government settlement announced by the Welsh Government before Christmas.
Council Leader, Cllr Ali Thomas, said:
“We have always identified schools as a priority. The lower level of cuts now required to balance our budget means that we are able to pass on in full to schools our share of the £35m announced by the Welsh Government. We are not pretending that this will solve all the budgetary pressures in schools; but it does allow us to invest more in our children and young people. The budget proposal that will be put to Council next month will reflect this”.
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Peter Rees, added:
“The Council has had to take some very difficult decisions around school closures and reorganisation; but the progress made now enables us to invest more directly in our children and young people, rather than empty desks. We were pleased to welcome the Minister, Huw Lewis, to the nearly complete Ysgol Bae Baglan shortly before Christmas, which is a good example of how the Council is investing for the future in partnership with the Welsh Government”.
