Translate the text from English to Welsh.



 
Earlier this year Assembly Members were informed of the outcome of Estyn’s inspection of Torfaen County Borough Council (CBC) and of the subsequent Estyn monitoring visit. I am making this statement to update Members in respect of the action I have taken in response to the inspection outcomes.


Following Estyn’s inspection of Torfaen CBC’s education services in October 2011 the authority was identified as requiring Significant Improvement and Estyn identified five recommendations for the authority to address. During the subsequent monitoring visit, Estyn concluded that the authority had partially addressed 3 of these recommendations and not addressed the remaining two. As such, it was the view of the inspection team that the authority had made insufficient progress to address the recommendations in the inspection report, improvements had been slow and the authority should be placed in the category of Special Measures.


Despite these serious weaknesses it was agreed with the authority that there would be no immediate action by the Welsh Government. It was determined that a period of time was needed to allow the authority to progress a number of actions it had in train and for it to prepare its post inspection action plan.


In late summer I was able to reflect on how best to support and challenge Torfaen moving forward. I sent a draft direction to the leader of Torfaen CBC.  The draft direction indicated that I was minded to establish a Recovery Board to provide support and challenge to the authority as it addressed the recommendations from its core inspection and monitoring visit. The draft direction stated that the authority should co\-operate with the Board and provided the Board with reserve powers of direction.  The authority was invited to respond to the draft direction.


Following this consultation with the authority I wrote to the Leader on 23 October 2013 and issued the direction.  The direction set out the membership of the Board as:


 


* Steve Dalton OBE, Managing Director of Sony UK Technology Centre, Pencoed;
* Mel Ainscow – Professor of Education and co\-Director of the Centre for Equity in Education at Manchester.
* Associate Professor Sue Davies – Assistant Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Wales Trinity St David; and
* Councillor Huw David – Cabinet member for Children and Young People at Bridgend County Borough Council.


 


However, having reflected on the make up of the Board I have determined to further augment the membership with the addition of:


 


* Eifion Evans – Director of Education and Community Services at Ceredigion County Council and lead education director for the ERW (Education through Regional Working) consortia; and
* Joyce Redfearn – former Chief Executive of Wigan Council and Monmouthshire Council and member of the Expert Group who assisted in the development of the National Model for Regional Working.


 


As the Board membership has been expanded, I have informed the Leader of Torfaen CBC of the additional members.


I will be keeping the structure and membership of the Board under review as this work progresses and will update Members on progress as the work of the Board develops.


 


 


 


 


 


 







Translation:


 
Yn gynharach eleni cafodd Aelodau'r Cynulliad wybod am ganlyniad arolygiad Estyn o Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen ac am yr ymweliad monitro a gynhaliwyd wedi hynny gan Estyn. Rwy'n gwneud y datganiad hwn i roi'r diweddaraf i'r Aelodau am y camau yr wyf wedi'u cymryd fel ymateb i ganlyniadau'r arolygiad.

Yn dilyn arolygiad Estyn o wasanaethau addysg Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen ym mis Hydref 2011, cafodd yr awdurdod ei enwi fel un a oedd angen Gwelliannau Sylweddol a nododd Estyn bum argymhelliad y dylai'r awdurdod weithredu arnynt. Yn ystod yr ymweliad monitro dilynol, daeth Estyn i'r casgliad bod yr awdurdod wedi mynd i'r afael yn rhannol â 3 o'r argymhellion hynny ond heb fynd i'r afael â'r ddau arall. O ganlyniad, ym marn y tîm arolygu, annigonol oedd y cynnydd a wnaed gan yr awdurdod o ran mynd i'r afael ag argymhellion yr adroddiad arolygu, araf fu'r gwelliannau a dylid gosod yr awdurdod yn y categori Mesurau Arbennig.

Er gwaetha'r gwendidau difrifol hyn, cytunwyd gyda'r awdurdod na fyddai Llywodraeth Cymru yn cymryd unrhyw gamau uniongyrchol. Penderfynwyd bod angen caniatáu cyfnod o amser i'r awdurdod symud ymlaen ag amryw o gamau a oedd eisoes ar y gweill ac i baratoi ei gynllun gweithredu fel ymateb i'r arolygiad.

Ddiwedd yr haf, cefais gyfle i ystyried sut fyddai orau i gefnogi a chynnig her i awdurdod Torfaen wrth iddo symud ymlaen. Anfonais gyfarwyddyd drafft i arweinydd Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen. Roedd y cyfarwyddyd drafft yn nodi fy mod yn bwriadu sefydlu Bwrdd Adfer i roi cefnogaeth a her i'r awdurdod wrth iddo fynd i'r afael ag argymhellion yr arolygiad craidd a'r ymweliad monitro. Roedd y cyfarwyddyd drafft yn datgan hefyd y dylai'r awdurdod gydweithredu â'r Bwrdd ac roedd yn rhoi pwerau cyfarwyddo wrth gefn i'r Bwrdd. Cafodd yr awdurdod ei wahodd i ymateb i'r cyfarwyddyd drafft.

Wedi ymgynghori â'r awdurdod, ysgrifennais at yr Arweinydd ar 23 Hydref 2013 a chyhoeddais y cyfarwyddyd. Rhestrwyd aelodau'r Bwrdd yn y cyfarwyddyd, fel a ganlyn:

* Steve Dalton OBE, Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr Canolfan Dechnoleg Sony UK, Pencoed
* Mel Ainscow – Athro Addysg a chyd\-Gyfarwyddwr Centre for Equity in Education, Manceinion
* Yr Athro Cyswllt Sue Davies – Deon Cynorthwyol Cyfadran y Gwyddorau Cymdeithasol ym Mhrifysgol Cymru y Drindod Dewi Sant
* Y Cynghorydd Huw David – Aelod y Cabinet dros Blant a Phobl Ifanc yng Nghyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen\-y\-bont ar Ogwr.

Fodd bynnag, ar ôl ystyried aelodaeth y Bwrdd, rwyf wedi penderfynu cynyddu nifer yr aelodau i gynnwys:  

* Eifion Evans – Cyfarwyddwr Addysg a Gwasanaethau Cymunedol Cyngor Sir Ceredigion a chyfarwyddwr addysg arweiniol consortia ERW (Ein Rhanbarth ar Waith)
* Joyce Redfearn – cyn\-Brif Weithredwr Cyngor Wigan a Chyngor Sir Fynwy ac aelod o'r Grŵp Arbenigwyr a fu'n cynorthwyo i ddatblygu'r Model Cenedlaethol ar gyfer Gweithio'n Rhanbarthol.

Gan fod nifer aelodau'r Bwrdd wedi cynyddu, rwyf wedi rhoi gwybod i Arweinydd Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Torfaen am yr aelodau ychwanegol.  

Byddaf yn parhau i adolygu strwythur ac aelodaeth y Bwrdd wrth i'r gwaith ddatblygu a byddaf yn rhoi'r diweddaraf i'r Aelodau am y cynnydd wrth i waith y Bwrdd fynd rhagddo.