No cuts for schools in Carms council budget | Dim toriadau i ysgolion yng nghyllideb Cyngor Sir Gâr

No cuts for schools in Carms council budget

CARMARTHENSHIRE schools have been protected once again from council budget cuts, the executive board confirmed today.

It means schools’ delegated budget for next year will be held at £108.7m for 2018-19.

In addition, the council has set aside a £500,000 ‘invest to save fund’ to support schools in making efficiency improvements – a move which has been ‘welcomed with open arms’ by education executive board member, Cllr Glynog Davies.

The draft budget was passed by executive board today, with the final decision on savings being made by Full Council on February 21.

Cllr David Jenkins, executive board member for resources, said: “The three year budget strategy proposals adopted in February 2017 assumed no schools protection for 2018-19, however executive board colleagues have been very conscious of the need to support schools where ever possible whilst balancing the impact on the other departments.

“Therefore, as a consequence of the additional support Welsh Government have provided as part of the settlement, I am pleased to report that we have once again been able to protect schools and not reduce their budgets.”

He added: “To support schools further it is proposed to set up a schools development fund. This will give schools direct access to an ‘invest to save fund’ which will allow schools to have up front funding for cost efficiency projects.”

Executive board member for education and children’s services, Cllr Glynog Davies, said: “Education is so important. It’s the best foundation we can give the children of this county.

“On one hand I’m grateful that the department has had this budget, but schools have extra costs as well, so I welcome with open arms this fund that’s been made available.

“Schools need to tackle and make new plans to save money, to see how they can do things differently. It’s extra money really to the education department, and I thank the executive board for listening.”

Dim toriadau i ysgolion yng nghyllideb Cyngor Sir Gâr

CADARNHAWYD gan y Bwrdd Gweithredol heddiw bod ysgolion Sir Gaerfyrddin wedi cael eu hamddiffyn unwaith eto rhag toriadau yng nghyllideb y Cyngor.

Mae’n golygu mai’r gyllideb a ddyrennir i ysgolion fydd £108.7m ar gyfer 2018-19.

Yn ogystal, mae’r Cyngor wedi neilltuo £500,000 mewn ‘cronfa buddsoddi i arbed’ er mwyn cynorthwyo ysgolion i wella effeithlonrwydd – cam sydd wedi’i groesawu’n fawr iawn gan yr Aelod o’r Bwrdd Gweithredol dros Addysg, y Cynghorydd Glynog Davies.

Pasiwyd y gyllideb ddrafft gan y Bwrdd Gweithredol heddiw, a bydd y penderfyniad terfynol ynghylch arbedion yn cael ei wneud gan y Cyngor Llawn am 21 Chwefror.

Dywedodd y Cynghorydd David Jenkins, yr Aelod o’r Bwrdd Gweithredol dros Adnoddau: “Nid oedd y cynigion strategaeth cyllideb a fabwysiadwyd ym mis Chwefror 2017 yn amddiffyn ysgolion yn ystod 2018-19, ond mae cydweithwyr ar y Bwrdd Gweithredol wedi bod yn ymwybodol iawn o’r angen i gynorthwyo ysgolion lle bynnag sy’n bosibl wrth geisio lleihau’r effaith ar adrannau eraill.

“Felly, o ganlyniad i’r cymorth ychwanegol y mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi’i roi fel rhan o’r setliad, rwyf yn falch o gyhoeddi ein bod wedi llwyddo unwaith eto i amddiffyn yr ysgolion ac osgoi lleihau eu cyllidebau.”

Ychwanegodd: “Er mwyn cynorthwyo’r ysgolion ymhellach, cynigir sefydlu cronfa datblygu ysgolion. Bydd hyn yn rhoi mynediad uniongyrchol i ysgolion at ‘gronfa buddsoddi i arbed’ a fydd yn caniatáu iddynt gael cyllid ymlaen llaw ar gyfer prosiectau effeithlonrwydd cost.”

Dywedodd y Cynghorydd Glynog Davies, yr Aelod o’r Bwrdd Gweithredol dros Addysg a Gwasanaethau Plant: “Mae addysg yn hynod bwysig. Addysg yw’r sylfaen orau y gallwn ei rhoi i blant yn y sir hon.

“Ar un llaw, rwyf yn gwerthfawrogi bod yr adran wedi pennu’r gyllideb hon, ond mae gan ysgolion gostau ychwanegol hefyd, felly rwyf yn croesawu’r gronfa sydd bellach ar gael.

“Mae angen i ysgolion fynd i’r afael â chynlluniau i arbed arian, a chreu rhai newydd, er mwyn gweld sut y gallant wneud pethau’n wahanol. Mae’n arian ychwanegol ar gyfer yr adran addysg yn y bôn, ac rwyf yn diolch i’r Bwrdd Gweithredol am wrando.”