Plaid Cymru Shadow Education Minister Simon Thomas has said urgent action from the Welsh Government and Torfaen’s Council leadership is needed to ensure improved education outcomes for children in Torfaen and across Wales.

An Estyn report into Torfaen Borough Council has recommended the council’s education services should be placed in the category of special measures. Not one local council’s education services have been judged ‘excellent’.

Mr Thomas, Plaid Cymru Mid and West AM said: "This latest report shows limited progress has been made since the last inspection of services in 2011. This demonstrates the need for urgent action from the Welsh Government and Torfaen’s Council leadership. 　

"Why has the Education Minister decided to wait-see rather than set out his preferred option immediately as he did with Merthyr Council. We need consistency in approach by the Welsh Government and above all else we need a vision of the role education of authorities in Wales.

"In government Plaid Cymru supported and urged the current programme of school improvements but this report into Torfaen highlights the need for even more decisive action. The teaching profession needs to be supported to ensure the improvement of classroom teaching of literacy and numeracy. This is another example of children being let down by the Welsh Government and by a Labour local education authority.　 The Party of Wales believes we need to break the link between poverty and education attainment."

Torfaen Councillor Jeff Rees added: "Children and Young People in Torfaen deserve a world class education. They are being let down by a lack of a strategic focus from the leadership in the council. Is the role of being leader of the Welsh Local Government Association detracting from a focused effort to improve educational outcomes for our children and young people?"