A NEWPORT councillor has challenged the cabinet member for education after it emerged autistic children at the Brynglas Centre were not allowed to eat lunch with other pupils as they cannot speak Welsh.

Councillor David Fouweather called “cruel” and “a terrible situation”, the councillor tabled a question to Bob Poole, Cabinet Member for Education and Young People in Newport City Council, on Sunday morning.

The autistic children currently eat their lunch in classrooms alongside the newly created welsh-language Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon, with food delivered from the main canteen.

Cllr Fouweather asked that the matter be investigated urgently, stating these children had previously been integrated into the main facilities when the school was Brynglas Primary and calling the reason for their expulsion “unacceptable”.

In the email to Mr Poole, Cllr Fouweather said: “In my view this is a disgraceful situation that may be tantamount to disability discrimination.”

He continued: “These children need to be involved in main stream activities at every opportunity. How else will they be able to function within society?

“Children who are disabled should not be treated differently to any other child and whether they speak welsh or not is of no consequence.”

In a joint statement Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon and Maes Ebbw, who are responsible of the autism unit, said: “As the children in Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Teyrnon are encouraged to speak Welsh at all times, including at break times, it was agreed the autism spectrum disorder pupils would eat lunch in the centre until all parents had expressed a preference."