BRIDGEND council will launch a strategic group to find out “what is going on” in schools across the county borough following a recent incident at Bryntirion Comprehensive.
It comes after police were called to the Welsh secondary school last week following reports that a knife had been found in a boy’s bag after an altercation between two pupils.
Members of the local authority were told a group will now be set up in order to get to the bottom of why this “worrying behaviour” is taking place in local schools.
Speaking at the meeting on February 5 councillor Martyn Jones, who is the cabinet member for education and youth services, said he would lead the group and brief the council on the activities it undertakes moving forward.
He said: “I have decided to lead a strategic group to look at what is going on in our schools across the county borough. It’s quite clear to us all that we are not immune from this sad behaviour that is being portrayed by the media across the UK.
“I don’t have any detail in relation to the mechanics of how the strategic group will run but my reassurance to you is we will work closely with the director of education and all the stakeholders and the schools themselves to see if we can get to the bottom of why this worrying behaviour is being experienced.”
Following the event on January 31 South Wales Police neighbourhood sector inspector Gareth Newman said: “Investigations are continuing to ascertain the full circumstances behind the incident. There were no reported injuries and a 15-year-old teenage boy is assisting officers with their inquiries.
“A video of the altercation had been circulated on social media but has since been taken down at the request of officers. We are working closely with the school and the local authority whilst the investigation is ongoing.”
