(Titel Image: Senedd Research Service)
Some schools break with Christmas closure agreement
Despite an agreement apparently being reached between the Welsh Government and the WLGA, several local authorities have broken ranks and decided to close schools early for the Christmas holiday, with teaching moved online.
Schools in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent and Bridgend have either already closed or are closing early as a result of increased Covid-19 rates in their local authorities. Several individual schools across Wales have already closed ahead of schedule due to outbreaks.
Unions had called for a blanket early closure of schools from December 11th, but the Welsh Government and WLGA agreed that schools should otherwise remain open until the scheduled end of term unless there were local outbreaks.
MS suspended for 21 days for bullying behaviour
The Senedd confirmed a 21-day suspension without pay for Neil McEvoy MS (Ind, South Wales Central) for aggressive behaviour towards Mick Antoniw MS (Lab, Pontypridd).
McEvoy opposed the recommendations of the Standards Committee report, saying that CCTV evidence – which the Standards Committee didn’t use when coming to a judgement – didn’t match up exactly with eyewitness reports from staff and also claiming that he was being targeted for his ethnicity.
Mick Antoniw said he genuinely feared being assaulted following the altercation and accused McEvoy of attempting to distract from the Standards Committee’s findings.
The motion to suspend McEvoy was approved by 45 votes to 6 with 2 abstentions.
Self-isolation period reduced to 10 days; new self-isolation payments for parents and carers
People in Wales will now only be legally required to self-isolate for 10 days if they are confirmed to have contracted Covid-19 or are returning from a non-exempt foreign country – a reduction from the previous period of 14 days.
Additionally, payments of £500 will be available to parents and carers who are required to stay home to look after children who are required to self-isolate as a result of an outbreak in a school.
