Frank Little

Councillor for East Central ward on Coedffranc Town Council Learn more

Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

Even though we’re not part of the Welsh Government, we’ve managed to secure our flagship Pupil Deprivation Grant to support pupils from deprived backgrounds with reading and numeracy skills. This is a relatively prosperous area, but even in Cadoxton there are families feeling the pinch. Here’s how the recent Welsh budget settlement will help local schools: […]

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Student financing explained

by franklittle on 30 September, 2012

I still object, largely on moral grounds, to a system which involves students taking on a lifetime debt in order to undertake a university course. I would much prefer reverting to the  system of state and local authority grants which I grew up with, even if this means that less than Tony Blair’s target of […]

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More money for education

by franklittle on 9 December, 2011

At the end of last Wednesday’s Council agenda, Karl Napieralla, director of education, slipped in as an emergency item (thus giving no time for members to prepare for or even comment on it)  the announcement that the Welsh Government would part-fund a schools rebuilding programme. It was churlish and partisan of the cabinet to suppress the […]

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A critical vote tomorrow

by franklittle on 4 May, 2011

The next Welsh Assembly Government will last five years, not the normal four. The change in the law was made in order to avoid a clash with the UK general election in 2015. This extra year of power puts even more responsibility on WAG to get it right over a period when we should be […]

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The Labour-Plaid government has allowed the spending gap per pupil to rise to a record level of £604. Jenny Randerson AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat Shadow Education Minister said: “This is yet more evidence that the Labour-Plaid government is failing our children. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have warned for years that the spending gap of £500 […]

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Another first for Catwg Primary

by franklittle on 19 October, 2010

I was delighted to learn this afternoon that Catwg Primary is the first school in Neath Port Talbot to be accredited by Peace Mala, an organisation whose aims of celebrating humanity across different faiths and cultures I wholeheartedly subscribe to.

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CAB and financial management

by franklittle on 4 September, 2010

The Neath and Swansea Citizens Advice Bureaux, noting the rise in the number of clients bringing in troubles caused by debt, have arranged sessions to help the public at large. A Financial Capability Session is designed to encourage financial planning and budgeting, especially in times of financial hardship or when people experience a change in […]

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I wouldn’t normally comment on England-only political matters, but the coalition’s abolition of Labour’s BSF programme has impelled a leading Liberal Democrat councillor to threaten to leave the party: http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-news/regional-news/2010/07/09/liverpool-lib-dem-leader-warren-bradley-we-ll-be-wiped-out-by-coalition-with-conservatives-92534-26816261/ What Councillor Bradley ignores is that the Liberal Democrats, and the Liberals before, have always been “sound money” parties. BSF was largely based on the […]

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Educational strait-jacket to be eased

by franklittle on 16 June, 2010

Praise to Leighton Andrews, who has swiftly followed the lead of the coalition government in Westminster, to reduce the grip of central government on educational policy. As reported on BBC News, “in future, Leighton Andrews says local authorities in Wales should have more freedom to make decisions without being overruled by ministers. He claims the […]

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Unique Kwik Cricket festival

by franklittle on 9 July, 2009

My excuse for publishing this picture of boys and girls from all over South Wales enjoying Kwik Cricket during the lunch interval of the second day of the test match against the Australians in Cardiff is that there are probably one or two children from Catwg Primary in there somewhere.

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