School shake up plans delayed in Pontypridd amid rising costs

A delay to the major overhaul plans for education in Pontypridd has been officially approved.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s cabinet on Thursday, June 17, agreed to push back the 21st Century Schools proposals for Pontypridd until September 2024.

The report showed that the delay due to legal proceedings and other factors has pushed the current indicative cost up to £56m from the original projected cost of just over £37m.

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The proposals include closing the sixth form at Cardinal Newman, Pontypridd, and Hawthorn high schools with new places at Bryncelynnog in Beddau.

They also involve the closure of Pontypridd High School and Cilfynydd Primary School and the creation of a new 3–16 ‘all through’ school on the site of the current Pontypridd High School.

They also propose the closure of Hawthorn High School and Hawthorn Primary School and the creation of a new 3–16 ‘all through’ School on the site of the current Hawthorn High and Hawthorn Primary schools, with the council’s designated additional learning needs (ALN) specialist class located in Hawthorn High School.

Current English medium pupils at Heol y Celyn Primary School would also transfer to the new school.

Finally they propose the closure of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pont Sion Norton and Heol y Celyn Primary School and the opening of a new Welsh medium primary school on the site of the current Heol y Celyn Primary School.

Approval was given to the proposals in July 2019 despite widespread public opposition but the Cardinal Newman proposals were deferred to Welsh Government for approval.

There was a legal challenge to the council’s decision in the form of a judicial review but in December 2021 the council won an appeal against the ruling of that review.

The cabinet report said work on the plans had to stop during the legal challenge, and as a result the “original delivery programmed for each of the projects has been severely affected”.

Since January of this year, work on the plans has restarted and now the implementation date for the three proposals that gained cabinet approval will be delayed until September 2024.

The council has written separately to Welsh ministers requesting approval to delay the implementation of the removal of the sixth form from Cardinal Newman.

Costs have been impacted by the delay due to inflation but also by other factors like Brexit and Covid-19, the report said.

It added that materials including steel and cement are in short supply so as the demand increases so do the costs, as well as making these items more difficult to source in good time.

The report also said that time has allowed the council to revisit the original plans and make improvements to facilities for the schools involved and take into account the council’s net zero carbon targets and this is why indicative project costs for these proposals now total £56m.

This includes allowance for risk and the council expects that this figure will reduce as the projects continue to progress, the report said.

The report said the costs will “not exceed the current capital funding envelope as agreed in principle by Welsh Government”.

The proposals are set to be funded with a 65% contribution from Welsh Government and the council’s 35% share of the capital costs being met through prudential borrowing.

Councillor Joy Rosser, the cabinet member for education, said it is “unfortunate” that the judicial review delayed the progress but that she’s glad they got the right result in the end.

She quoted part of the report which said: “The council is responsible for delivering high educational standards and efficient primary, secondary and sixth form education provision that serves our local communities.

“This is achieved by ensuring that the right schools, are the right size, are in the right location and are fit for the 21st Century learner.”

She added: “We don’t want to delay any further.”

Councillor Maureen Webber, deputy leader of the council, said: “Going forward our children are going to have what they deserve. The very best education provision we can provide.”