The Education and Young People Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday, 20 January 2026, to discuss the council's revenue budget strategy for 2026/27 to 2028/29, review draft business plans for 2026/27, and examine the revenue and capital budget monitoring report for 2025/26. Key decisions included endorsing the Charging Digest for Education and Leisure and approving the draft 2026/27 Business Plans for Education Services and Inclusion Services.

Revenue Budget Strategy Consultation 2026/27 to 2028/29

The committee considered the council's revenue budget strategy for the upcoming three financial years. Initially, the report indicated a significant funding gap of £3.5 million for 2026/27, even with a proposed 6.5% council tax increase and £9.6 million in savings. This shortfall was attributed to a provisional Welsh Government settlement of 2.3% for Carmarthenshire, which was lower than anticipated, and significant cost pressures, particularly in Employers National Insurance. However, a subsequent Senedd budget deal provided an additional £7 million for Carmarthenshire, eradicating the deficit, allowing for a lower council tax increase, and potentially maintaining or enhancing services. The committee also noted a £5 million saving from reduced employer pension contributions.

The committee reviewed appendices detailing efficiency savings, growth pressures, budget monitoring reports, and the charging digest for Education and Schools. Concerns were raised about the sustainability of school budgets, with a projected £8.6 million overspend in delegated school budgets alone. The Director of Education and Leisure acknowledged the challenges and assured the committee that the current delivery model for catering services was under review. The committee endorsed the Charging Digest for Education and Leisure.

Headteacher Groups Update

The committee received an update on the activities and outcomes of meetings held with headteachers. These meetings cover a range of pertinent issues, including school management, education policy, and local authority initiatives. Agenda items to date in the 2025/26 academic year have included discussions on departmental priorities, financial procedures, Additional Learning Needs (ALN), safeguarding, attendance, and Welsh language initiatives. Future agenda items are set to include support for families, offensive weapons protocols, and anti-racism initiatives. The committee welcomed the suggestion for representatives from the Carmarthenshire Association of Secondary Heads (CASH) and Carmarthenshire Association of Primary Heads (CAPH) to attend a future meeting to contribute to the committee's work.

2026/27 Business Plans (Draft)

The committee reviewed the draft 2026/27 Business Plans for the Education Services and Inclusion Services divisions. These plans outline key priorities, actions, and measures designed to achieve the council's well-being objectives and strategic priorities. The plans emphasize a commitment to learner progress, well-being, equity, and long-term sustainability, incorporating risk management, governance, and business continuity arrangements. The committee noted the department's commitment to modernising services, strengthening collaboration, and exploring digital tools and AI. A specific concern was raised regarding the Welsh in Education Strategic Plan (WESP) ambitions potentially leading to recruitment challenges for non-Welsh speaking teaching students, but the Cabinet Member for Education assured the committee of the Authority's compliance with statutory provisions and the support available to schools. The committee endorsed the draft business plans.

Revenue & Capital Budget Monitoring Report 2025/26

The committee examined the revenue and capital budget monitoring report for Education services, including schools, as of 31 October 2025. The report highlighted a projected revenue overspend of £8.6 million, primarily attributed to Schools Delegated Budgets. While there was a £1 million improvement from the previous forecast, the position was deemed unsustainable. Central education services forecasted a £68,000 overspend, while schools' delegated budgets projected a £10 million deficit. The report also detailed main revenue variances, including under-expenditure in educational psychology offset by over-expenditure in ALN and school meals. The capital schemes showed a forecasted net spend of £4,626k against a working net budget of £22,936k, resulting in a variance of -£18,310k. The committee requested that future reports be restructured to include more narrative and context, along with mitigating actions for significant variances.

Forthcoming Items

The committee reviewed a list of forthcoming items for its next meeting on 17 March 2026. These included an update on the transformation programme for education, a report on the catering services model review, a development session with Headteacher Group representatives, and a development session on progress made to support secondary schools with their budgetary positions. The committee's Forward Work Plan was updated to include these items.

Minutes of the Meeting Held on 2 December 2025

The committee signed the minutes of its previous meeting held on 2 December 2025 as a correct record. During the discussion of the minutes, reference was made to the valuable work of the Standing Advisory Committee in supporting schools with the Religion, Values and Ethics (RVE) curriculum. The committee also noted that Councillor Emlyn Schiavone, the Chair, would be taking up a new role on the Cabinet imminently, and Councillor Peter Hughes Griffiths would be appointed as his successor.