Driver –v- Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council / Driver –v- Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf
8th – 9th December 2020
Driver –v- Rhondda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
Before the Chancellor of the High Court
Lady Justice Nicola Davies
Lord Justice Lewis
The Respondent sought judicial review of the decision made by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council on 18 July 2019 to implement proposals that concern wide-ranging re-organisation of the primary, secondary and sixth form education in the greater Pontypridd area within the Council’s boundary. The proposals were published in three Statutory Notices. The implementation of a fourth proposal, contained in a fourth Statutory Notice, was referred by the Council to the Welsh Ministers. The proposals all concern reorganisation of education in the Pontypridd area. The Administrative Court in Wales granted the judicial review of the first three proposals as they had not been referred to approval by the Welsh Ministers and the Council had not considered how the proposals might affect the suitability of Welsh medium provision.
The Council has appealed to the Court of Appeal which will sit in Cardiff to hear the appeal. The Respondent is a parent who is part of a campaign group. They will be represented by counsel at the hearing.
The Welsh Language Commissioner and the Welsh Government have both been given permission to make written and oral submissions in Welsh and English at the hearing of the appeal. The appeal is expected to last two days.
Gerbron Canghellor yr Uchel Lys
Yr Arglwyddes Ustus Nicola Davies
Yr Arglwydd Ustus Lewis
Mae’r atebydd wedi ceisio adolygiad barnwrol o’r penderfyniad a wnaed gan Gyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Rhondda Cynon Taf ar y 18fed o Orffennaf 2019 i weithredu cynigion sy’n ymwneud ag ad-drefnu helaeth ar addysg gynradd, uwchradd a chweched dosbarth ym Mhontypridd a’r ardal ehangach o fewn ffiniau’r Cyngor. Cyhoeddwyd y cynigion mewn tri hysbysiad statudol. Cyfeiriodd y Cyngor weithrediad pedwerydd cynnig, a gynhwysid mewn pedwerydd hysbysiad statudol, at Weinidogion Cymru. Mae’r cynigion oll yn ymwneud ag ad-drefnu addysg yn ardal Pontypridd. Caniataodd y Llys Gweinyddol yng Nghymru adolygiad barnwrol o’r tri chynnig cyntaf gan nad oeddid wedi eu cyfeirio i’w cymeradwyo gan Weinidogion Cymru ac nad oedd y Cyngor wedi ystyried sut y gallai’r cynigion effeithio ar addasrwydd y ddarpariaeth gyfrwng Cymraeg.
Mae’r Cyngor wedi apelio i’r Llys Apêl a fydd yn eistedd yng Nghaerdydd i wrando’r apêl. Mae’r atebydd yn riant sy’n rhan o grŵp ymgyrchu. Bydd cwnsler yn eu cynrychioli yn y gwrandawiad.
Rhoddwyd caniatâd i Gomisiynydd y Gymraeg a Llywodraeth Cymru ill dau wneud cyflwyniadau yn ysgrifenedig ac ar lafar yn Gymraeg ac yn Saesneg yn y gwrandawiad. Rhagwelir y bydd yr apêl yn para am ddeuddydd.”
View hearing:
Day 1
Day 2