Catholic super-school plans could be resurrected

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

Controversial plans to close four catholic schools to create a single super-school are expected to be relaunched this week.

Flintshire County Council’s education department is recommending a fresh consultation to begin in the summer term this year and run until the Spring term of 2027.

Cabinet will decide whether to revive the proposals when it meets on Wednesday, May 13.

The authority has not changed it’s original proposals – to close three Catholic primary schools at St David’s in Mold, St Anthony’s in Saltney and St Mary’s in Flint plus St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School.

It recommends replacing them with a 3-18 Catholic super-school on the St Mary’s/St Richard Gwyn site in Flint.

The schools would initially cost £55 million, with £46.5 million provided by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning fund and £8.5 million from Flintshire Council borrowing.

That borrowing would push the final cost up to an estimated £77.4 million, with £30.9 million coming from Flintshire taxpayers over 50 years.

Cabinet will now be asked to approve the statutory consultation

The original consultation was halted at the 11th hour after a legal challenge by parents from St David’s Primary School threatened a judicial review over the consultation process.

They had concerns regarding the assessment of risk and child safeguarding over transport, additional learning needs and the loss of school places in communities where siginficant housebuilding is scheduled.

The consultation saw 96% or respondents reject the proposals outright.

In addition parents at St Anthony’s have triggered a review of the propsals by the Vatican’s Dicastery for Culture and Education.

If approved, the super-school plans would be enacted by September 2027.

Feedback

Claire Homard, Chief Officer for Education and Youth, said: “Restarting the consultation process will ensure that stakeholders and members of the public have a further opportunity to share their feedback before any decisions are made.

“It was the right decision to cease the original process while the legal challenge was fully considered. Having now reviewed the position, we remain confident that these proposals represent the right way forward.

“We would strongly encourage everyone with an interest to take part in the forthcoming consultations and make their views known.”