Cost cutting measures will see four primary schools merge

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

A council’s cabinet has voted unanimously to amalgamate four primary schools in a bid to reduce running costs.

Conwy County Borough Council agreed to the final steps towards the amalgamation of Ysgol y Foryd with Ysgol Maes Owen, in Towyn and Kinmel Bay.

They also agreed that Ysgol Glan Gele would be amalgamated with Ysgol Sant Elfod, both in Abergele.

The matter, which had previously sparked concerns over jobs, came during a meeting of the council’s cabinet yesterday (Tuesday, August 12).

Funding 

Reports into all four schools had stated that the “long term amalgamation will result in more efficient and effective use of resources with the school funding calculations changing from two to one school budget”.

Concerning the final determination on the amalgamation of Ysgol Glan Gele and Ysgol Sant Elfod, a report had stated: “If the schools were to be merged to become a single school, the formula would calculate a single budget of £2,199,934, which is smaller than the budget of operating as two separate schools by £22,636.

“As the funding for the new school represents a reduction of 1%, the transitional protection will be over years in line with Conwy’s approved transitional funding model”.

In the final report into Ysgol y Foryd and Ysgol Maes Owen, it stated: “If the schools were to be merged to become a single school, the formula would calculate a single budget of £1,776,448 which is smaller than the budget of operating as two separate schools.

“As the funding for the new school represents a reduction of 3%, the transitional protection will be over three years in line with Conwy’s approved transitional funding model.”

Consultation

Cllr Emily Owen said the decision had followed a public consultation over the proposal to amalgamate which had run from October 31, 2024 until December 2, 2024.

At a meeting on February 18, 2025, the cabinet had approved a proposal to take the matter forward to the statutory notice stage.

The final stage came with yesterday’s meeting, which saw the final objection report towards the objective to amalgamate.

Following the cabinet’s approval, yesterday, the next steps will now see officers setting up a temporary governing body to “drive ahead to amalgamate, in both the areas,” she said.

In a public consultation, Ysgol Glan Gele and Ysgol Sant had seen ten responses to the proposal via email and the online form. The statutory notice website on the council’s website had also been viewed 60 times.

The Ysgol y Foryd and Ysgol and Ysgol Maes Owen scheme had received two responses, and the statutory notice website viewed 37 views.

Cabinet Member for Audit, Policy and Performance Cllr Chris Carter, said the matter had already been chaired with all the stakeholders, staff, governors and members and all the other statutory bodies, so was “happy to support this”.

The cabinet then voted on the two amalgamation separately with both items being proposed for approval by council leader Cllr Charlie McCoubrey, and both seconded by Cllr Emily Owen. The votes for both were unanimously agreed.