7. Statement by the Minister for Education and Welsh Language: Sustainable Communities for Learning

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 5:05 pm on 17 January 2023.

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Photo of Vikki Howells Vikki Howells Labour 5:05, 17 January 2023

Minister, it was a pleasure to join you fairly recently at the brand new Hirwaun primary school in my constituency, built under the twenty-first century schools programme, with £10.2 million of funding from Welsh Government and RCT council. I think it was probably one of the last schools to be built under that iteration of the plan that we're discussing now. The benefits of that project's social value action plan included 90 per cent of spend being placed with businesses in Wales, 21 new entrant construction jobs, and 10 new entrant apprenticeships. So, I'd like to ask how similar value benefits remain a priority, moving forward.

I was also interested to hear your comments around the advantages of moving towards a rolling programme for delivery. These are powerful push factors to make the change, and I understand them completely. However, I would point out that, when a project has been agreed, such as at Glyncoch in my constituency, there is naturally considerable enthusiasm from pupils, parents and teachers to see it move forward at speed. So, I wonder whether you've identified any problems that the new rolling programme for the delivery could cause, or if there are any warnings that it might lead to slippage, and if these are identified, then what mechanisms would be put in place to ensure that this is not the case?