Fresh backlash as council set to revive Catholic super-school plans

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

Opponents of plans to close four Catholic schools to create a 3-18 super-school say it undermines the new Welsh Government’s commitment to strengthen Welsh culture.

The Save St Anthony’s Campaign Group in Saltney, Flintshire says following the Senedd Election – which saw four Plaid Cymru candidates elected to the Senedd to represent Flintshire across Fflint Wrecsam and Clwyd constituencies – the proposed revival of the super-school plans is directly opposed to the policies of the party that took the largest share of the national vote.

“These plans will push children into exile,” said campaign group spokesperson Kevin Jones. “If Flintshire presses ahead with these plans families in Saltney will look across the border for stability and children will end up in English schools with no Welsh language, no Welsh culture and no Welsh identity built into their education.

“How does that square with Plaid Cymru’s stated ambition to strengthen Welsh culture, grow the Welsh language and keep our young people learning in Wales?”

Re-start

On Wednesday this week, Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to re-start the consultation over the closure of four Catholic schools – primary schools St David’s in Mold, St Anthony’s in Saltney and St Mary’s in Flint plus St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School.

The proposals, in partnership with the Diocese of Wrexham, would see the schools replaced by a single 3-18 super-school in Flint. The school would cost £55 million to build with £8.5 million coming from Flintshire County Council borrowing and the rest coming from the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning fund.

In real-terms the borrowing by Flintshire is expected to cost council tax-payers £30.9 million over 50 years to repay.

It would also mean an extended commute for pupils travelling from Mold, while it is anticipated that Saltney pupils who seek a Catholic education will cross the border to study in Chester.

Unchanged plans submitted 

Despite a legal challenge that initially held up the proposals, Flintshire County Council’s Education Department has submitted unchanged plans to restart the consultation period this summer term – with a final decision expected by Spring 2027.

“If local decisions drive pupils out of the county, over the border and literally out of the country doesn’t that undermine everything our new Welsh Government is trying to build for its future,” said Kevin.

“Flintshire County Council needs to ditch these plans. The first consultation told you all you needed know.

“They are not wanted, not required and not in the best interests of our children.

“The Education Department now wants to run a second consultation — but what is the point when the first one delivered a clear and overwhelming message from the community?

“People engaged in good faith, they responded in large numbers, and they rejected the proposal. Repeating the process does nothing to rebuild trust and is surely costly to council tax-payers.

“It simply deepens the concern that we’re all stuck in a kind of consultation Groundhog Day until the answer finally matches the script.”

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet will decide whether to re-launch the super-school consultation on Wednesday, May 13.