Cardiff Council has submitted its bid for 21st Century Schools funding to the Welsh Assembly Government.
The bid includes a number of reorganisation and investment proposals that seek to deliver a viable and successful schools system for Cardiff, including investment in Information and Communication Technology.
The 21st Century Schools Programme is aimed at investment in schools in Wales. Funding will be available from 2012 and all local authorities have been invited to submit a Strategic Outline Programme to develop a strategic overview of the future of the authority’s education provision.
Cardiff has submitted a £109m bid for Band A funding, the first tranche of funding being made available under this scheme, as part of a proposed £147m capital investment programme. It is expected that WAG will announce its proposed funding in Spring 2011.
The Council’s proposals, which are dependent on the level of funding granted, aim to provide investment in English-medium and Welsh-medium provision, reduce the backlog of school building repairs and create all-through three to 11-years-old primary schools. Secondary and primary schools would be upgraded to meet 21st Century standards in teaching and learning while there would be further opportunities to strengthen the community focus of schools.
The Schools Sub Committee considered the proposals that form the Council’s Strategic Outline Programme at its October meeting and recommended to the Executive that consultation be undertaken on the proposals as and when required.
Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Rodney Berman, said: “The 21st Century Schools Programme provides us with the chance to seek further funding to embark on the next stage of our schools organisation plan in order to provide a high quality learning environment for future generations of children.
“Our bid has been carefully put together by officers and we hope that WAG will recognise the value of what it could achieve, although we recognise that the current financial climate will make the task ahead more challenging for all to meet.
“It is nonetheless worth noting that, since 2007, the Council has committed to invest around £165m into school buildings in the city which I’m sure all would agree is a very impressive level of investment to date. The Welsh Assembly Government has supported us in this considerable investment and we are committed to this partnership model for this new generation of funding, which aims to develop the education system in Cardiff in order to secure further enhanced opportunities for our young people and their communities.”
