After Cllr Aaron Wynne, Cabinet Member for Education, Conwy County Borough Council, presented a report to the Education Committee on 4/11/2025 with the aim of commencing a consultation on the potential closure of Ysgol Betws-y-Coed, the Committee voted to support the proposal by Cllr Liz Roberts to defer the decision.
7 Councillors voted in favour of deferral, 2 abstained, 4 were against, and 7 did not vote.
The Committee’s vote to defer will now be presented to the Cabinet who will decide whether to listen to the recommendation or not.
A public meeting took place at Betws-y-Coed Memorial Hall on Monday 27/10/2025, where there was strong opposition to the possibility of closure, and around 1,000 have signed a petition.
During the Committee meeting it was disclosed that both Janet Finch-Saunders MS and Betws-y-Coed Community Council had sent formal correspondence to the Local Authority raising serious concerns about the content of the report being considered also.
Commenting after the vote to defer, Janet said:
“I highlighted formally to the Cabinet Member for Education, Cllr Aaron Wynne, before the Committee meeting that the decision should be delayed because of serious concerns about the content of the report prepared for the meeting. My concerns were dismissed.
“I understand that Betws-y-Coed Community Council was sent an inadequate response too, and applaud them and all residents who have been presenting letters and emails to the Local Authority raising concerns.
“Considerable thanks must go to Cllr Liz Roberts. Last night she did a marvellous job highlighting to all Committee members during the meeting serious concerns about the report, and the process followed by the school governing body to recommend Betws-y-Coed be considered for closure instead of Dolwyddelan or Capel Garmon.
“Importantly, the Committee members should be making decisions based on accurate and all information. I think we have, as a community, proven that this has not been provided.
“Whilst Cllr Aaron Wynne, Cabinet Member for Education, was not prepared to listen and act on concerns about the report before the meeting, I hope now that the whole Cabinet of Conwy County Borough Council will act on the recommendation of the Education Committee: defer the decision!”
ENDS
Photo: Result of the vote to defer
Ar ôl i'r Cynghorydd Aaron Wynne, Aelod Cabinet Addysg, Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy, gyflwyno adroddiad i'r Pwyllgor Addysg ar 4/11/2025 gyda'r nod o gychwyn ymgynghoriad ar y posibilrwydd o gau Ysgol Betws-y-coed, pleidleisiodd y Pwyllgor o blaid cefnogi cynnig y Cynghorydd Liz Roberts i oedi'r penderfyniad.
Pleidleisiodd 7 o gynghorwyr o blaid oedi, tra gwnaeth 2 atal eu pleidlais, pleidleisiodd 4 yn erbyn y cynnig, ac ni phleidleisiodd 7.
Bydd pleidlais y Pwyllgor i oedi nawr yn cael ei chyflwyno i'r Cabinet a fydd yn penderfynu a ddylid gwrando ar yr argymhelliad ai peidio.
Cynhaliwyd cyfarfod cyhoeddus yn Neuadd Goffa Betws-y-coed ddydd Llun 27/10/2025, lle roedd gwrthwynebiad cryf i'r posibilrwydd o gau, ac mae tua 1,000 wedi llofnodi deiseb.
Yn ystod cyfarfod y Pwyllgor datgelwyd bod Janet Finch-Saunders AS a Chyngor Cymuned Betws-y-coed wedi anfon gohebiaeth ffurfiol at yr Awdurdod Lleol yn codi pryderon difrifol am gynnwys yr adroddiad sydd dan ystyriaeth hefyd.
Wrth ymateb i'r bleidlais i oedi, dywedodd Janet:
“Dywedais yn ffurfiol wrth yr Aelod Cabinet dros Addysg, y Cynghorydd Aaron Wynne, cyn cyfarfod y Pwyllgor y dylid oedi'r penderfyniad oherwydd pryderon difrifol am gynnwys yr adroddiad a baratowyd ar gyfer y cyfarfod. Cafodd fy mhryderon eu diystyru.
“Rydw i ar ddeall bod Cyngor Cymuned Betws-y-coed wedi cael ymateb annigonol hefyd, a hoffwn eu canmol nhw a'r holl drigolion sydd wedi bod yn cyflwyno llythyrau ac e-byst i'r Awdurdod Lleol yn codi pryderon.
“Rhaid diolch yn fawr i'r Cynghorydd Liz Roberts. Neithiwr, fe wnaeth hi waith gwych yn tynnu sylw holl aelodau'r Pwyllgor yn ystod y cyfarfod at bryderon difrifol am yr adroddiad, a'r broses a ddilynwyd gan gorff llywodraethu'r ysgol i argymell ystyried cau Betws-y-coed yn hytrach nag Ysgol Dolwyddelan neu Ysgol Capel Garmon.
“Yn bwysig, dylai aelodau'r Pwyllgor fod yn gwneud penderfyniadau yn seiliedig ar wybodaeth gywir. Rwy'n credu ein bod ni, fel cymuned, wedi profi na chafodd gwybodaeth o’r fath mo’i darparu.
“Er nad oedd y Cynghorydd Aaron Wynne, yr Aelod Cabinet Addysg, yn barod i wrando a gweithredu ar bryderon am yr adroddiad cyn y cyfarfod, rwy'n gobeithio nawr y bydd Cabinet llawn Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Conwy yn gweithredu ar argymhelliad y Pwyllgor Addysg: oedi'r penderfyniad!”.
DIWEDD
Llun: Canlyniad y bleidlais i oedi'r penderfyniad
