Decision details

The Service Director 21^st Century Schools and Transformation provided Cabinet with a report to seek approval to begin the relevant and required statutory consultation for the proposal to amalgamate the currently federated Cefn Primary and Craig-yr-Hesg Primary Schools by closing Cefn Primary and Craig-yr-Hesg Primary Schools and opening a new maintained community primary school on a new site. The report also requests approval to submit a Strategic Outline Business Case for three Mutual Investment Model (MIM Projects) to the Welsh Government.

She continued that the three projects are:

• A new Community Primary School for Glyncoch (replacing Cefn and Craig-yr-Hesg Primary Schools)
• A replacement Community Primary School for Maesybryn Primary School
• A replacement Community Primary School for Tonysguboriau Primary School.

The Service Director 21^st Century Schools and Transformation continued that submission of the Strategic Outline Business Case will be subject to the outcome of the statutory consultation in relation to the new community primary school proposed for Glyncoch.

The Service Director 21^st Century Schools and transformation advised Cabinet that the projects outlined in the report serves to increase capacity and improve the quality of the English medium primary education provision available to learners in the Glyncoch area of Rhondda Cynon Taf and  continues the Council’s ambitious school modernisation agenda.

The Cabinet Member Education and Inclusion spoke positively of the proposals and commented that existing schools in the Borough require a lot of investment.  The proposals put before Cabinet will provide the opportunity for yet more Children and Young people and Communities to benefit from 21^st Century School investments which has transformed education delivery in so many parts of RCT over the last decade. 

The Deputy Leader also stated that this opportunity will improve and deliver fantastic facilities for Learners in the Borough.

It was RESOLVED to:

1. Note the content of this report
2. Give formal approval to commence consultation with relevant stakeholders on the proposal to close Cefn Primary and Craig-yr-Hesg Primary Schools and open a new community primary school on a new site to serve the combined existing catchment areas of Cefn Primary and Craig-yr-Hesg Primary Schools
3. Note any proposal, should it be approved following completion of the required statutory processes, would be implemented by September 2026;
4. Subject to 2 above, give delegated authority to the Director of Education to make any minor changes that are required to the proposed consultation document (attached at Appendix B to the report) prior to its publication and the consultation commencing

Agree to a Strategic Outline Business Case for three proposed MIM Projects being submitted to the Welsh Government – the projects being a new community primary school for Glyncoch; a replacement community primary school for Maesybryn Primary School and a replacement community primary school for Tonysguboriau Primary School. Such submission to be subject to the outcome of the statutory consultation in relation to the new community primary school proposed for Glyncoch, noting that any that formal approval to proceed to deliver any new project will be brought back to Cabinet for further determination