“INADEQUATE leadership in Blaenau Gwent’s education department obstructed the work of the commissioners sent in to improve education services at the authority.

That’s according to the Welsh education minister Leighton Andrews, who was yesterday challenged to explain why education services were said to still be failing, two years after Welsh Government-appointed commissioners started work.

Four commissioners were appointed to bring standards up to scratch in 2011, following a poor Estyn report into Blaenau Gwent’s education service that put it into special measures, although that number was reduced to one in December.

Last week Estyn said the education department would remain in special measures, saying improvement was too slow.

Yesterday Simon Thomas, Plaid education spokesman, asked what explanation the minister had for the deterioration in the standards of education in Blaenau Gwent since appointing commissioners two years ago.

Mr Andrews said performance at Blaenau Gwent had not deteriorated, but he said the pace of change was still too slow and the quality of leadership has not been consistent or effective.

But the minister told AMs there are “serious weaknesses in the corporate capacity of the authority” confirmed by a recent Wales Audit Office report which, he said, elected members in Blaenau Gwent needed to act on.

“Capacity in the education service in Blaenau Gwent remains weak... Inadequate leadership within the education service obstructed the work of the commissioners at the beginning,” he said.

Since the beginning of the year the Welsh Government has had a single full-time commissioner, Bethan Guilfoyle, who has been supported by a single chief education officer shared with Newport.

The minister said they were making a significant impact and that they had sent warning letters to one secondary school where performance was weak.

“I think we have a very strong commissioner with a very strong track record in delivering performance in schools,” he sai