A TRADE union has slammed Conwy and its new music external ‘delivery model’, which will make music teachers redundant.
National Education Union has criticised the authority for leaving ‘long serving and highly experienced’ staff ‘devastated’ over its decision to cut funding.
Whilst the authority has opted not to cut school budgets for the forthcoming financial year, the council slashed school budget by 5% in 2024 and 2023, despite headteachers explaining problems faced post-COVID.
Now the authority says the Welsh Government is cutting a music grant, which means the council will move to a new ‘cooperative style model’, with external providers providing music lessons at a cost.
According to Conwy’s website, the council already charges parents £7 per lesson for curriculum music lessons.
John Owen of the National Education Union commented: “In January 2025, Conwy Council cabinet approval was given to move towards making music provision in Conwy schools no longer available through the local authority but through an external provider.
“The teaching and management staff of the music service have been told they will be made redundant from the end of August of this year. The number of staff affected are in double figures, long serving and highly experienced. Music service staff have been devastated by the decision and are concerned that any external providers will not be able to maintain the same standards.”
He added: “Following a consultation, the council will make a final decision on who it believes will be best to carry on music education in Conwy schools on March 20. After the new provider is recommended by the council, it will then be up to individual schools and music tutors if they wish to engage with the private provider. There is no obligation for them to do so.”
A spokeswoman for Conwy County Council commented: “Conwy Council has been delivering the Welsh Government’s National Plan for Music Education in its schools since 2022. The plan includes reducing the barriers to accessing music and aims to enable children to learn an instrument, sing, or create music together, and to have the opportunity to expand their musical interests.
“The grant provided by Welsh Government to deliver music provision was cut in 2024, and the council has been looking at ways to ensure the provision of music education for the county’s pupils is safeguarded.
“The solution agreed by councillors for Conwy to provide music tuition and access to music through a cooperative style model and to deliver the National Plan for music means that the council retains strategic oversight of music service provision, but that it can use the experience and support of a cooperative. This arrangement also has the advantage of being able to access a range of funding not available to councils.”
She added: “Children in Conwy who are eligible for free school meals will also still be able to get access to music tuition at no cost to them under the new arrangements, with funding via grants to schools and a cooperative on behalf of the pupils with that entitlement. This model is used in a number of local authorities already.”
Cllr Julie Fallon, Conwy’s cabinet member for education, supports the move to the new delivery model.
She said: “At a time when council budgets are under severe pressure, coupled with the prospect of dwindling grants, this new way to deliver music education will ensure sustainability for pupils in Conwy schools.
“This is a model that is used successfully in other local authorities, and we’re confident that it offers the best way forward to make sure music education continues to be as widely accessible to as many children as possible.”
She added: “We appreciate that this will be an uncertain and unsettling time for the staff involved in the music service, as the new delivery model will result in some unavoidable redundancies.
“The way forward for the music service has been agreed through the council’s democratic process, and we have begun engaging with staff on the process. A period for staff to give feedback has been running since 20 February when they are able to comment on the proposed new delivery model, before the final version is published on 20 March.”
The cash-strapped council has upped council tax by around 30% in three years whilst slashing front-line services, including school budgets, blaming Welsh Government for a lack of funding.
During the last five years, the bill for councillor salaries has increased by over £300K, although salaries are set externally.
A Welsh Government spokeswoman said: “We have invested £13m in the National Music Service, which provides opportunities for children and young people from three to 16 to engage in music activities and experiences.
“The service includes programmes for schools, including ‘First Experiences’ and ‘Music Pathways’, helping learners build the knowledge, skills, and experiences to ignite a passion for music and support further study.”
