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Heddiw bydd Estyn yn cyhoeddi ei adroddiad yn amlinellu canlyniad ei arolwg o Flaenau Gwent (a gynhaliwyd rhwng 21 a 25 Ionawr 2013\).  Rwy’n llunio’r datganiad hwn i dynnu sylw’r Aelodau at y dyfarniadau y mae Estyn wedi’u gwneud yn dilyn yr arolwg diweddaraf.    
Mae’r arolwg hwn yn adeiladu ar yr arolwg blaenorol o wasanaethau addysg yr awdurdod lleol ym mis Mai 2011\.  Yn dilyn yr arolwg hwnnw gwelwyd bod perfformiad gwasanaethau addysg yr awdurdod lleol yn ogystal â rhagolygon yr awdurdod ar gyfer gwelliant yn anfoddhaol.  Yng ngoleuni’r diffygion hyn, rhoddwyd mesurau arbennig ar yr awdurdod.  

Mae’r adroddiad diweddaraf hwn yn cynnwys beirniadaeth barhaus o berfformiad yr awdurdod lleol.  Gwelodd y ddau ddyfarniad cryno cyffredinol fod perfformiad presennol gwasanaethau addysg yr awdurdod lleol i blant a phobl ifanc yn parhau i fod yn anfoddhaol, a bod rhagolygon yr awdurdod lleol ar gyfer gwelliant yn parhau i fod yn anfoddhaol.  Barn Estyn yw bod yr awdurdod yn parhau i fod yn y categori dilynol o fod angen Mesurau Arbennig.    

Rwyf yn bryderus iawn o weld canfyddiadau Estyn.  Mae’n annerbyniol bod yr awdurdod wedi methu unwaith eto i fynd i’r afael â’r materion gyda’r cyflymder a’r brys sydd ei angen.  Mae’r methiannau hyn yn parhau i ddangos gwendidau difrifol yn y broses o reoli’r gwasanaethau addysg gan yr awdurdod.     

Mae aelodau’r cynulliad yn ymwybodol fod Cyfarwyddyd wedi’i roi ar Flaenau Gwent, ble’r wyf wedi penodi Comisiynydd Addysg i swydd lawn amser i gynorthwyo proses yr awdurdod o wella yn benodol.  Mae’r Cyfarwyddyd yn pennu bod swyddogaethau addysg gweithrediaeth yr awdurdod yn cael eu cyflawni gan fy Nghomisiynydd.  Rwyf hefyd wedi sefydlu Bwrdd Perfformiad Strategol i gynorthwyo gyda gwaith y Comisiynydd.  Mae’r Bwrdd hwn yn cynnwys y Comisiynydd, uwch swyddogion Llywodraeth Cymru, cynrychiolaeth o CLlLC, a chynrychiolydd o’r consortia addysg rhanbarthol.  Swyddogaeth y Bwrdd yw cynnig her a chymorth i swyddogion ac aelodau’r Cyngor o ran gwasanaethau addysg yr awdurdod.  

O ran gwaith y Comisiynwyr, y Bwrdd a’r consortia rhanbarthol, mae adroddiad Estyn yn tynnu sylw at ddatblygiadau – er enghraifft mae’r dyfarniad o ran y cymorth ar gyfer gwella ysgolion wedi gwella i fod yn foddhaol.  Gwelodd yr arolygiaeth fod gwasanaeth gwella ysgolion y consortiwm wedi gwneud cynnydd da yn gwella prosesau i gefnogi’r her ac i ymyrryd mewn ysgolion.  Fodd bynnag maent yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith fod y trefniadau hyn yn gymharol ddiweddar, ac nad ydynt hyd yma wedi cael amser i gael effaith ar safonau cyrhaeddiad mewn ysgolion.    

Er bod fy swyddogaeth fel Comisiynydd yn canolbwyntio ar sbarduno gwelliannau mewn ysgolion a pharatoi’r awdurdod ar gyfer y cyfnod pryd y daw yr ymyrraeth i ben, mae yn amlwg bod llawer o waith i’w wneud eto gan yr uwch\-reolwyr a’r tîm arweinyddiaeth i ddod â’r awdurdod at bwynt ble y bydd hyn yn bosibl.  Nid wyf wedi gweld unrhyw dystiolaeth bod ganddynt y gallu na’r awydd i gyflawni hyn.

Ni ellir osgoi’r ffaith fod y gwelliannau wedi bod yn araf a bod safon yr arweinyddiaeth o fewn yr awdurdod ei hun wedi bod yn anghyson neu ddim yn ddigon effeithiol, ac nid yw’r swyddogion wedi blaenoriaethu camau i ddod â gwelliant.    

Fel y mae Estyn wedi nodi, mae’r datblygiadau mwyaf diweddar gan yr awdurdod wedi’i arwain yn bennaf gan y Comisiynydd a’r cyfarwyddwyr adfer, gan nad yw’r arweinwyr a’r rheolwyr o fewn yr awdurdod ei hun eto heb sefydlu llwybr cynaliadwy o newid a gwelliant.  Mae adroddiad Estyn fodd bynnag yn tynnu sylw at y ffaith bod aelodau etholedig wedi gwneud datblygiadau sylweddol ac wedi newid eu ffordd o weithio.  Mae yr aelodau   mewn sefyllfa well i gyfarwyddo a herio swyddogion ac mae trefniadau craffu bellach yn fwy cadarn.

Mae’n bwysig nodi hefyd bod adroddiad Estyn yn cyd\-fynd ag Adroddiad Gwelliant Blynyddol diweddar Swyddfa Archwilio Cymru 2011/12 a welodd fod “problemau diwylliannol, problemau perfformiad a phroblemau arweinyddiaeth hirdymor, yn ogystal â gallu corfforaethol cyfyngedig wedi arwain at anghysondebau a gwendidau yn null y cyngor o gynllunio, trefnu a chyflawni gwasanaethau gwell ar gyfer ei ddinasyddion”.      
Mae gwendidau systematig o fewn yr awdurdod ac felly nid oes gennyf unrhyw hyder y bydd Blaenau Gwent yn datrys y problemau hyn ei hun, hyd yn oed gyda chymorth fy Nghomisiynydd.  Rwyf bron ag ystyried ymyraethau eraill gan gynnwys yr opsiwn i uno’r gwasanaeth addysg gydag awdurdod lleol arall.

Rwy’n cyfarfod â’r Comisiynydd ddydd Llun 20 Mai i gael ei barn a byddaf hefyd yn trafod y materion hyn â’r Gweinidog Llywodraeth Leol a Busnes y Llywodraeth.  Unwaith y byddaf wedi penderfynu pa newidiadau ddylai ddigwydd rhoddaf y newyddion diweddaraf yn llawn i aelodau’r Cynulliad.







Translation:


 
Today Estyn publishes its report outlining the results of its inspection of Blaenau Gwent (which took place between the 21 and 25 January 2013\).  I am making this statement to highlight to Members the judgements that Estyn has reached following the latest inspection.  

This inspection builds on the previous inspection of the local authority’s education services in May 2011\.  Following that inspection both the performance of the local authority’s education services and the authority’s prospects for improvement were found to be unsatisfactory.  In light of these shortcomings the authority was placed in special measures.


This latest report contains continuing criticisms of the performance of the local authority.  The two overall summary judgements found that the current performance of the local authority education services for children and young people continues to be unsatisfactory and that the local authority’s prospects for improvement continue to be unsatisfactory.  Estyn is of the opinion that the authority continues to fall into the follow\-up category of requiring Special Measures.  


I am very concerned to note Estyn’s findings.  It is unacceptable that the authority has failed once again to tackle the issues with the required pace and urgency.  These failings continue to reflect serious weaknesses in the authority’s management of education services.    

As Assembly members are aware, a Direction is in place in Blaenau Gwent where I have appointed an Education Commissioner to a full time role entirely dedicated to supporting the authority’s improvement journey.  The Direction provides that the education functions of the authority’s executive are exercised by my Commissioner.  I have also established a Strategic Performance Board to support the Commissioner’s work.  This Board comprises the Commissioner, senior officials from the Welsh Government, WLGA representation and a representative of the regional education consortia.  The role of the Board is to offer challenge and support to the Council’s officers and members in respect of the authority’s education services.  


In respect of the work of the Commissioners, the Board and the regional consortia, the Estyn report highlights progress \- for example the judgement in respect of support for school improvement has improved to adequate.  The inspectorate has found that the regional consortium’s school improvement service has made good progress in improving processes to support challenge and intervene in schools.  However they do highlight that these arrangements are relatively recent and have not yet had time to make an impact on standards of attainment in schools.  


While my Commissioner’s role is focussed on driving forward school improvement and preparing the authority for the point at which the intervention ends.  There obviously remains a great deal of work to be done by the senior management and leadership team to bring the authority to a point at which this will be possible.  I have not seen any evidence that they are capable or willing to achieve this.    

The pace of improvement has been slow and the quality of leadership within the authority itself has not been consistent or effective enough. Officers have not prioritised action to bring about improvement.  


As Estyn highlights the more recent progress achieved by the authority has been led primarily by the Commissioner and the directors of recovery, as leaders and managers within the authority itself have still not established a sustainable pathway of change and improvement.  The Estyn report however highlights that elected members have made significant progress and have changed the way they work. Members are now better equipped to direct and challenge officers and scrutiny arrangements are now more robust.


It is also important to note that the Estyn report sits alongside the WAO’s recent Annual Improvement Report for 2011/12 which found "long\-standing cultural, performance and leadership problems, coupled with limited corporate capacity, have led to inconsistencies and weaknesses in how the council plans, organises and delivers better services for its citizens". 


There are systemic weaknesses in the authority and therefore I can have no confidence that Blaenau Gwent will resolve these problems itself, even with support from my Commissioner.   I am minded to consider alternative interventions including the option to create a merged education service with another local authority.  


I am meeting with the Commissioner on Monday 20 May to seek her views and will also discuss these matters with the Minister for Local Government and Government Business.  Once I have decided on what changes should take place I will provide a full update to Assembly members.