Tories urge council to show support for schools after strikes

URGENT action is required to support schools in Newport following teacher strikes earlier this month, according to Conservative councillors.

And the leader of Newport’s Conservative group Matthew Evans said the cabinet member for education’s position has become “untenable”.

Councillor Matthew Evans has written to Newport City Council leader Jane Mudd to tell her “to get a grip of the situation”.

He said the recent strike action at Caerleon and Llanwern High School shows the teachers and staff have lost confidence in the council to deal with their understandable concerns.

“Your cabinet member for education Cllr Gail Giles didn’t even meet them when they came to the civic centre. The Conservative group believe this is the last straw and her position has become untenable and you need somebody to get a grip of the situation.”

Cllr Mudd said the authority continues to ensure “the most appropriate support” is in place for schools.

“It is extremely disappointing that the opposition group are using schools to try to make political capital,” she said. “Through the years of austerity, the council has tried to protect primary and secondary schools as much as possible and they have been spared some of the drastic reductions in funding seen in other areas.”

An investment of £10.4m in schools is proposed in next year’s budget, including £4.6m from the Welsh Government which was not ring-fenced for schools. This also includes £1.4m more of council money than previously proposed, following an improved settlement.

In a letter dated January 30, the Newport Association of Primary Headteachers wrote to the council’s cabinet urging that funding for schools is prioritised.

“We are now at the point where school surpluses are completely eroded, having propped up budgets during these years of austerity,” the letter said.

“We are now facing the real prospect of failing to deliver our pupils’ full educational entitlement, we are likely to be operating our schools with safety inadequately addressed and we will be teaching within buildings that are falling apart around us in classrooms that are crying out for decoration.”

Conservative councillor Joan Watkins, shadow spokeswoman for education, said teachers had gone on strike “because of their serious concerns as to how they may keep delivering a high-quality education to their students”.

Cllr Mudd said the council delegates funding “on an equitable basis”, but that schools have a responsibility to manage and balance their budgets.