diff --git a/.github/workflows/automated_release.yml b/.github/workflows/automated_release.yml
index d77bf6eb35..7d16d3d862 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/automated_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/automated_release.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ jobs:
     services:
       mysql:
         # Use the Mysql docker image https://hub.docker.com/_/mysql
-        image: mysql:8.0
+        image: mysql:8.4
         ports:
           - 3306 # Default port mappings
           # Monitor the health of the container to mesaure when it is ready
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build_and_release.yml b/.github/workflows/build_and_release.yml
index 76f207cfd5..0a0dfdeffd 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build_and_release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build_and_release.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ jobs:
     services:
       mysql:
         # Use the Mysql docker image https://hub.docker.com/_/mysql
-        image: mysql:8.0
+        image: mysql:8.4
         ports:
           - 3306 # Default port mappings
           # Monitor the health of the container to mesaure when it is ready
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cucumber_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/cucumber_tests.yml
index 32c34d65d7..337b104112 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cucumber_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cucumber_tests.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
     services:
       mysql:
         # Use the Mysql docker image https://hub.docker.com/_/mysql
-        image: mysql:8.0
+        image: mysql:8.4
         ports:
           - 3306 # Default port mappings
           # Monitor the health of the container to mesaure when it is ready
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rake_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/rake_tests.yml
index 9dabef0b20..7c5c0abaf8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rake_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rake_tests.yml
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ jobs:
     services:
       mysql:
         # Use the Mysql docker image https://hub.docker.com/_/mysql
-        image: mysql:8.0
+        image: mysql:8.4
         ports:
           - 3306 # Default port mappings
           # Monitor the health of the container to mesaure when it is ready
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rspec_feature_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/rspec_feature_tests.yml
index 184fd8563d..8672c21fa8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rspec_feature_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rspec_feature_tests.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
     services:
       mysql:
         # Use the Mysql docker image https://hub.docker.com/_/mysql
-        image: mysql:8.0
+        image: mysql:8.4
         ports:
           - 3306 # Default port mappings
           # Monitor the health of the container to mesaure when it is ready
diff --git a/.github/workflows/rspec_unit_tests.yml b/.github/workflows/rspec_unit_tests.yml
index 58de58a87a..fada0d3c35 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/rspec_unit_tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/rspec_unit_tests.yml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ jobs:
     services:
       mysql:
         # Use the Mysql docker image https://hub.docker.com/_/mysql
-        image: mysql:8.0
+        image: mysql:8.4
         ports:
           - 3306 # Default port mappings
           # Monitor the health of the container to mesaure when it is ready
diff --git a/app/controllers/api/v2/plate_templates_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api/v2/plate_templates_controller.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2edd170343
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/controllers/api/v2/plate_templates_controller.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Api
+  module V2
+    # Provides a JSON API controller for PlateTemplate
+    # See: http://jsonapi-resources.com/ for JSONAPI::Resource documentation
+    class PlateTemplatesController < JSONAPI::ResourceController
+      # By default JSONAPI::ResourceController provides most the standard
+      # behaviour, and in many cases this file may be left empty.
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/app/controllers/plate_templates_controller.rb b/app/controllers/plate_templates_controller.rb
index 4b82ad0e02..b0d12ee536 100644
--- a/app/controllers/plate_templates_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/plate_templates_controller.rb
@@ -58,10 +58,22 @@ def update # rubocop:todo Metrics/AbcSize
     redirect_to plate_templates_path
   end
 
+  # rubocop:disable Metrics/MethodLength
   def destroy
     pattern = PlateTemplate.find(params[:id])
-    pattern.destroy
+    begin
+      ActiveRecord::Base.transaction do
+        pattern.wells.destroy_all
+        pattern.destroy!
+      end
+
+      flash[:notice] = 'Template deleted'
+    rescue ActiveRecord::DeleteRestrictionError, ActiveRecord::RecordNotDestroyed
+      flash[:error] = 'Template cannot be deleted because it has dependent records'
+    end
 
     respond_to { |format| format.html { redirect_to(plate_templates_path) } }
   end
+
+  # rubocop:enable Metrics/MethodLength
 end
diff --git a/app/resources/api/v2/plate_template_resource.rb b/app/resources/api/v2/plate_template_resource.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..93c3998ac3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/resources/api/v2/plate_template_resource.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+module Api
+  module V2
+    #
+    # Provides a JSON:API representation of {PlateTemplate}.
+    #
+    # A `PlateTemplate` represents a virtual plate used in Cherrypicking to block out empty wells
+    # or layout pre-assigned samples.
+
+    # @note This resource is accessed via the `/api/v2/plate_templates/` endpoint.
+    #
+    # @example GET request to retrieve all plate templates
+    #   GET /api/v2/plate_templates/
+    #
+    # @example GET request to retrieve a specific plate template by ID
+    #   GET /api/v2/plate_templates/123/
+    #
+    # For more information about JSON:API, see the [JSON:API Specifications](https://jsonapi.org/format/)
+    # or the [JSONAPI::Resources](http://jsonapi-resources.com/) package for Sequencescape's implementation
+    # of the JSON:API standard.
+    class PlateTemplateResource < BaseResource
+      include Api::V2::SharedBehaviour::Labware
+
+      model_name 'PlateTemplate'
+
+      default_includes :uuid_object
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index db4beaa56d..68aa20806c 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@
       jsonapi_resources :plate_conversions, except: %i[update]
       jsonapi_resources :plate_creations, except: %i[update]
       jsonapi_resources :plate_purposes, except: %i[update]
+      jsonapi_resources :plate_templates
       jsonapi_resources :plates, except: %i[update]
       post 'plates/:id/register_stock_for_plate', to: 'plates#register_stock_for_plate'
 
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 575351474b..74d7ea667a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ services:
       retries: 5
 
   mysql_server:
-    image: mysql:8.0
+    image: mysql:8.4
     environment:
       - MYSQL_ALLOW_EMPTY_PASSWORD="yes"
     healthcheck:
diff --git a/spec/requests/api/v2/plate_templates_spec.rb b/spec/requests/api/v2/plate_templates_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8837350009
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/requests/api/v2/plate_templates_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+require './spec/requests/api/v2/shared_examples/api_key_authenticatable'
+
+describe 'PlateTemplates API', with: :api_v2 do
+  let(:base_endpoint) { '/api/v2/plate_templates' }
+
+  it_behaves_like 'ApiKeyAuthenticatable'
+
+  context 'with multiple PlateTemplates' do
+    before { create_list(:plate_template, 5) }
+
+    it 'responds successfully' do
+      api_get base_endpoint
+
+      # test for the 200 status-code
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:success)
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the list of plate_templates' do
+      api_get base_endpoint
+
+      # check to make sure the right amount of messages are returned
+      expect(json['data'].length).to eq(5)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context 'with a PlateTemplate' do
+    let(:resource_model) { create(:plate_template) }
+
+    let(:payload) do
+      {
+        'data' => {
+          'id' => resource_model.id,
+          'type' => 'plate_templates',
+          'attributes' => {
+            # Set new attributes here
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    end
+
+    it 'responds successfully' do
+      api_get "#{base_endpoint}/#{resource_model.id}"
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:success)
+    end
+
+    it 'sends an individual PlateTemplate' do
+      api_get "#{base_endpoint}/#{resource_model.id}"
+      expect(json.dig('data', 'type')).to eq('plate_templates')
+    end
+
+    # Remove if immutable
+    it 'responds successfully to update' do
+      api_patch "#{base_endpoint}/#{resource_model.id}", payload
+      expect(response).to have_http_status(:success)
+    end
+
+    it 'allows update of a PlateTemplate' do
+      api_patch "#{base_endpoint}/#{resource_model.id}", payload
+      expect(json.dig('data', 'type')).to eq('plate_templates')
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/support/user_login.rb b/spec/support/user_login.rb
index 603159c35e..d10bb2e8d2 100644
--- a/spec/support/user_login.rb
+++ b/spec/support/user_login.rb
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ def login_user(user)
     fill_in 'Username', with: user.login
     fill_in 'Password', with: 'password'
     click_button 'Login'
+    # wait for the login to complete before returning, so ready for whatever is next
+    find_by_id('message_notice', text: 'Logged in successfully')
     true
   end
 end