A resource base supporting children with speech and communication needs in the Vale of Glamorgan will be moved from its current site to the other side of the county. The Vale of Glamorgan Council's cabinet has approved a proposal to move the Specialist Resource Base (SRB), which has been at Llandough Primary School since 2002, to Ysgol y Ddraig in Llantwit Major.
It is hoped that the move will improve the education of pupils using the SRB by providing them with improved equipment at a more central location. Vale of Glamorgan Council leader, Cllr Lis Burnett, called the change a "really good move", whilst ward member for Llantwit Major, Cllr Gwyn John, said he was "delighted" to support it.
An area of Ysgol y Ddraig, an English-medium community school catering for 3-11 year olds, will be allocated for the SRB. It is proposed that the SRB in Ysgol y Ddraig will follow the same model as when it was located in Llandough. Pupils will be dual registered with their home schools and spend three days a week at the resource base and two days at their home school.
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After a consultation period which ended on December 7, no objections to the proposal were received. However, two late representations submitted to the council raised various concerns over the increased distances that staff would have to travel, including the increased cost of travel, extended travel times and extended work times due to the need to use public transport.
A council report on the proposed location change for the SRB states: "Contractually, all LSA staff are informed of a primary base of work, but this can be subject to change following the relevant notice period to any other location within the boundary of the Vale of Glamorgan. The contracts confirm no compensation or excess mileage allowance will be payable in respect such a change.
"The two teachers employed for the SRB provision are subject to different
contractual arrangements. Their contracts do not include reference to working in other locations. However, as part of the proposal all staff have been given the relevant notice and the statutory consultation periods have been followed in relation to the proposal to allow staff to raise concerns and objections to the proposal to be considered by the Council.
"As part of the consultation process the Council have worked with the relevant trade unions to outline the changes to staffing arrangements due to the relocation proposal to ensure staff interests were represented and addressed."
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