"Extremely good news” for Powys County Council’s education department has been highlighted by deputy leader Cllr Aled Davies.
At Powys County Council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday, councillors agreed to changes in the Strategic Risk Register.
Two risks around the shortage of lorry and bus drivers and that social care providers could go bust have been added to the register.
While the education department’s risk around the response to Estyn’s critical report from September 2019, the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) will be removed.
Finance portfolio holder Cllr Aled Davies who is also in charge of the Strategic Risk Register said: “I must draw your (attention) to one risk which is being de-escalated for the education service.
“It relates to the Post Inspection Action Plan (PIAP) and it’s down to the hardwork of the staff and the leadership that Cllr Phyl Davies has delivered for the education service.
“It’s extremely good news.”
A spokesman for Estyn confirmed that a follow up report to the inspection will be published on their website on Friday, November 26.
A cabinet meeting is set to take place on Friday afternoon which includes an “oral update” on education improvement.
In September 2019, Powys County Council was engulfed in crisis as education watchdog, Estyn published a report saying that the authority was “causing significant concern.”
Politically the report caused ructions including two resignations from the cabinet.
A meeting to discuss a vote of no confidence in the cabinet member for education at the time, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander, was shelved as she was moved to Adult Social Care and replaced by Cllr Phyl Davies.
Estyn’s report included five recommendations that the council needed to address in their PIAP.
These are:
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service