Cyflwynwyd gan:Cyng. Gareth Thomas
Decision:
Resolved:
i.
Hold a statutory consultation, in accordance with Section 48 Schools
Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, in the Bangor catchment area on
the proposal to close Ysgol Glanadda and Ysgol Coedmawr on 31 August 2020, and offer
a place to the pupils at Ysgol y Garnedd (subject to parental choice); and
increase the capacity of Ysgol y Garnedd to 420.
ii.
Hold a pre-consultation with the Church in Wales regarding increasing
the capacity of Ysgol y Faenol to 315 in accordance with the School
Organisation Code 2013 requirements and report on the results to the Cabinet.
Minutes:
The item was submitted by Cllr. Gareth Thomas
RESOLVED
Resolved:
i.
To hold a statutory consultation, in accordance with Section 48 Schools
Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, in the Bangor catchment area on
the proposal to close Ysgol Glanadda and Ysgol Coedmawr on 31 August 2020, and
offer a place to the pupils at Ysgol y Garnedd (subject to parental choice);
and increase the capacity of Ysgol y Garnedd to 420.
ii.
To hold a
pre-consultation with the Church in Wales regarding increasing the capacity of
Ysgol y Faenol to 315 in accordance with the School Organisation Code 2013
requirements and report on the results to the Cabinet.
DISCUSSION
The report was submitted noting
that the purpose of the report was to seek permission to proceed to hold a
statutory consultation in relation to the process of reorganising schools in
the Bangor area. It was added that at the end of 2016, Welsh Government had
announced that there was an opportunity for Local Authorities with the
capacity, to apply for further funding to fulfil additional projects within
Band A of the 21st Century Schools Programme.
Following submitting a request, the Education Department had received
confirmation that funding had been agreed in principle.
In addition to this, there was a
new housing development in Bangor. One of the planning conditions when the
application had been approved was that the company would commit to contributing
funding towards primary-age education provision in Bangor. By combining funding
from Welsh Government and the Housing Development Company, there was a budget
of approximately £13.8m.
It was noted that work had been
done to look at potential options, and it was noted that, of the nine Primary
Schools in Bangor, two schools had high numbers over capacity and two were
fairly empty. The Department's preferred option would need to be consulted
upon. The preferred option was to increase the capacity of Ysgol y Faenol,
build a new school for Ysgol y Garnedd and increase the capacity from 210 to
420 and close Ysgol Coedmawr and Ysgol Glanadda.
Observations arising from the
discussion
-
Observations were made by the Local Members who
noted that they congratulated the Council on receiving this money. He suggested
that the Department revised the options and that he favoured option 10, namely
to increase the capacity at Ysgol y Faenol, provide a new school and increase
the capacity of Ysgol y Garnedd and adapt the Ysgol Glanadda site to receive
children from Ysgol Coedmawr. He noted that the level of education at Ysgol
Glanadda and Ysgol Coedmawr had been in the red category, but since the arrival
of the acting Headteacher, the school had been raised to the orange category.
-
The Local Members added that it was a mistake to
go for option 3 as Ysgol Cae Top and Ysgol Glancegin, which had been developed
over the previous eight years, were already over capacity. With the wards
growing and more demand for housing for families the numbers at the schools
would continue to increase.
-
There was a discussion around safety for
children on the way to the school; it was noted that the road was a busy one
but that children travelled along it every day. In addition, the traffic
problem which already existed on the roads was discussed, as there were five
schools and a Hospital in the same area.
It was emphasised that it was important to listen to and
discuss with local members and local people, and also to remember about the Mudiad Meithrin
Awdur:Diane Jones
Supporting documents: