Monday, June 6th, 2011

Plaid Concern at Local Authority expenditure on School reorganisation proposals

Following a series of recent public meetings and media attention on the school reorganisation proposals in the Dinefwr area of the county, Plaid Cymru Assembly Member Rhodri Glyn Thomas has today raised serious concerns at Carmarthenshire County Council’s expenditure on an external consultant – engaged to provide a technical appraisal on the siting/selection of a new school site  – when it emerged the local authority had given no formal instructions to the procured company as to the remit or terms of reference for the site appraisal.

Parents and school governors have requested copies of the terms of reference since the start of the consultation period but are still awaiting this information.  Parents once again questioned council officers in a public meeting on May 9th to which they were told a series of e-mails existed.  However, in response to a Freedom of Information request by the Carmarthen East & Dinefwr AM, Carmarthenshire County Council has confirmed that “…no written instruction or brief was given, sent or otherwise provided to Atkins [the company which carried out the technical appraisal] regarding the siting/selection of a new school site.  As such, no such letter (or email) exists…”

 

The Plaid AM has today written to Council’s Chief Executive expressing his concern that a potentially costly exercise has been authorised by the local authority without a clear and precise directive from the council.

Plaid Cymru AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas said:

“I am very concerned that the local authority has engaged in an exercise potentially costing thousands of pounds without setting out a detailed remit for the technical appraisal of a new school site.

 

“The Freedom of Information response from the County Council suggests instructions from council officers were carried out verbally in meetings that were not recorded or minuted.  This is not a very transparent approach for a local authority to take.

 

“I also fail to see how the local authority could have undertaken a full tendering exercise to engage any external company in the first instance if a comprehensive list of requirements was not available.   

 

“I have written to the Chief Executive to request a full explanation about the procurement process of this external company and to express my concerns that no formal terms of reference were established.

 

“The closure of a local school is an extremely controversial issue for many communities.  Trust in the local authority will diminish even further if the council does not provide clarity to pupils and parents at the earliest opportunity.”

 

ENDS

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The Freedom of Information response notes:

In response, I can confirm that no written instruction or brief was given, sent or otherwise provided to Atkins regarding the siting/selection of a new school site. As such, no such letter (or email) exists. Instructions were communicated verbally at meetings, however, these were not recorded or minuted.

 If I can be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.

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