The monthly full council meeting took place earlier this week – you can watch it here.
Expected timetable for free primary school meals pushed back “breaking” Labour manifesto pledge
Early on in the session, Cllr. Alex Williams (Ind, Pencoed & Penprysg) asked whether Bridgend Council will be able to meet Labour’s 2022 local election manifesto commitment to roll out free school meals for all primary school pupils by September 2023?
Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr. Jon-Paul Blundell (Lab, Cefn Glas), said the manifesto commitment was, at the time, the expected Welsh Government timescale. Since then, the expected timeline for complete roll-out has been pushed back to September 2024.
He went on to add that some primary schools don’t have the necessary kitchen facilities to provide free meals to all pupils and there’s an associated cost with upgrades and alike.
While the answer was refreshingly honest – Jon-Paul Blundell was upfront about the challenges in delivering the policy – this is now claimed (by Independents mainly) as perhaps being the third Labour manifesto commitment from this year’s local elections that’s been broken within a few months of the new term.
In this case, it exposes the danger of adopting a national policy for a council election – free school meals for primary pupils being a Plaid Cymru-Labour policy agreed at the Senedd – and then claiming that it’s your own.
In all three cases (free school meals, playground refurbishments and road resurfacing), it’s more an example of Labour being sloppy and miscommunicating what they wanted to do than outwardly breaking promises (in my opinion).
Council “won’t reverse full cost recovery” policy for sports pitches and charitable events
Later in the session, Cllr. Martin Williams (Ind, Coity Higher) asked whether Bridgend Council would consider reversing its “full-cost recovery” policy for sports pitches and charitable events. This policy could result in sports clubs facing cost increases of up to 500% if they don’t express interest in the Community Asset Transfer programme.
In a written response it was confirmed the policy will remain in place. A Young Labour event is being held in Newbridge Fields this weekend and Cllr. Williams wondered whether the policy will apply to that?
Council Leader, Cllr. Huw David (Lab, Pyle, Kenfig Hill & Cefn Cribwr), said he couldn’t answer that as he wasn’t a member of the organisation.
The Leader didn’t accept there was any “coercion” on the part of the council in imposing the policy on sports clubs, adding that Bridgend Council had a “partnership” with sports clubs and town/community councils which has led to an additional investment of more than £1million in facilities.
Cllr. Ian Williams (Ind, Oldcastle) asked what the procedure and implications were if a sports club decides to withdraw their interest from a Community Asset Transfer – such as due to an inability to commit to the responsibilities for taking on a lease? Also, if a club was forced into administration or insolvency, would the council take that lease back?
The Leader confirmed that if a club ceased, then the lease would return to the council. There hasn’t yet been a withdrawal or request, but it would be looked at “on a case-by-case basis” if it did happen.
