Denbighshire County Council has been given the green light by the authority’s Cabinet to start consulting on a review of primary schools in the Edeyrnion (Dee Valley West) area.
In November 2009, primary school provision in this area was identified as a priority to review and a number of issues were identified to be addressed through the review, including: requests to increase Welsh medium provision, surplus capacity in English and Welsh medium schools, national shortage of headteachers and upcoming retirements, use of mobile accommodation and suitability and sustainability of schools.
Informal consultation has taken place over the past six months with headteachers, chairs of governors and councillors, which has resulted in options being drafted for initial consultation.
In light of the uncertainty regarding capital funding Cabinet have decided to consult on the potential for rationalising the number of schools across the area and not to progress the option of two area schools at this stage.
Initial Consultation: Rationalise the number of existing schools
Initial consultation will take place on rationalising the number of existing schools in the area in order to address the key issues in the area including significant surplus places and headteacher recruitment and consider requests to increase bilingualism in two schools. The recommendation is to retain Ysgol Caer Drewyn as the largest school within the area serving Corwen; retain Ysgol Maes Hyfryd as the largest Welsh medium school within the area.
Officers will engage with the local communities to consider all possibilities within this option to address the issues highlighted in the area in order to provide a stable and sustainable education system that can maintain and improve education standards and experiences in the future.
Councillor Eryl Williams, Cabinet Lead Member for Lifelong Learning, said: “This initial consultation will also provide an opportunity for the public to suggest alternative options that would address the issues highlighted across the area.
“The initial consultation will begin on 8 November and people will have until 18 February 2011 to have their say”.
This represents the start of a lengthy consultation process. Once the initial consultation comes to an end, Cabinet will then be asked to consider whether or not to proceed to formal consultation on a preferred option. If that was the case, a further six week consultation would take place.
Then Cabinet would be asked to consider whether or not to proceed to the publication of formal statutory notices.
Following the publication of the statutory notices, there is an objection period of two months in which any person may send in written objections. The authority will then be required within one month of the close of the objection consultation period to submit details of any objections received, together with the authority’s response, to the Welsh Assembly Government.
If no objections are received, the authority will make the decision. If objections are received, then the matter is decided by the Welsh Assembly Government.
