ERRORS were made in the data provided by schools for A-level provision costs, but will be corrected before decisions are made for September 2018.

County councillor Mike Stoddart had submitted a Notice of Motion (NoM) asking for an “in-depth audit” of data used when a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’ between the council and Pembrokeshire College on future provision of A-levels was agreed.

The document set out an agreement between the two organisations on how A-level subjects will be provided but controversially included a minimum of 18 pupils required to make a subject “financially viable”.

This led to concerns that schools not reaching the minimum would be forced to scrap the subject, thereby leading to closure of school sixth forms as pupils are centralised to guarantee numbers.

It was later reworded so that the figure of 18 was a guideline not an absolute.

At an extraordinary schools and learning overview and scrutiny committee last week Cllr Stoddart questioned why Fishguard and St Davids schools were included in the figures when they no longer provided A-levels, as well as ‘mathematical errors’ made when looking at the numbers at the new English medium school in Haverfordwest and the huge differences in exam costs and teaching spend at each school.

He said a report in response to his NoM was “vague” and although the “conclusions is it wouldn’t have made any difference, I would have liked to see some facts as I don’t think that conclusion is true”.

The meeting heard from principal auditor Reverend Richard Witt who said that there were “some errors in the data” but any further data would be audited before it is used.

He added that there were “inconsistencies” that pushed the class size guideline of 18 down but also some that pushed it back up. “When put through the model available the number still come back out at 18,” said Rev Witt.

Cllr Stoddart added: “As long as there is some acknowledgement there’s something not kosher and there’s an intention to put it right that’s all I require.”

Committee chairman Cllr John Davies said it was “unacceptable that decisions are being made on information that is inaccurate” but there was an opportunity to learn and there would be more “rigour and consistency” required for figures in the future.

The committee agreed a recommendation that officers carry out work to ensure consistent data is collected, for current and future financial years, and carry out a full audit of the revised process.