Leader corrects comments as Reform make super-school land swap claim

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

A council leader has denied that negotiations are taking place over a potential land deal linked to plans for a £55 million super-school, as councillors prepare to challenge a key decision on the project.

Flintshire County Council’s leader, Cllr Dave Hughes, has addressed comments he made to Flintshire’s Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee (CROSC) on Thursday, 8 October where he suggested that talks were talking place with the Diocese of Wrexham for a land transfer.

The move comes as a call-in later this week questions whether information about such a deal had been withheld from councillors.

“I would like to clarify comments I made last week regarding the proposed Catholic school,” he said.

“My comments were intended to refer to ongoing discussions about the wider project and were not intended to suggest that negotiations were taking place with the Diocese regarding a specific financial contribution.

“I apologise for any confusion caused.”

During the CROSC meeting Cllr Hughes had been challenged as to why Flintshire County Council had chosen to take on the Diocese’s responsibility to fund 15% of the cost of the new Catholic super-school in Flint when the authority’s budgets were under so much pressure.

The plans would see three Catholic primary schools – St David’s, St Anthony’s and St Mary’s – plus St Richard Gwyn High School close.

Cllr David Coggins-Cogan asked: “How do you and the Cabinet justify taking on a voluntary debt to pay for a school for the Diocese when the same Diocese has paid their full 15% share to two other councils in North Wales?”

In his response Cllr Hughes said: “That is something that we have to debate with the Diocese. The deal is not done yet at all so I don’t have to justify it, do I?

“We don’t know what’s going to happen with it. I’m aware that there was money given to Bangor and I’m aware that we can put that on the table. But at the moment, negotiations are still going on.”

Despite retracting the statement, Cllr Hughes’ Cabinet is facing a call-in notice this Thursday tabled by Reform UK Wales councillors – led by Cllr Helen Brown – and Conservative Cllr Adele Davies-Cooke.

The call-in – which seeks to freeze and review Cabinet’s decision to move the super-school consultation to the 28-day objection phase – claims that Cabinet members voted on the proposal without knowledge of an alleged land-swap deal involving the St David’s Catholic Primary School site in Mold.

“Cabinet voted on the proposed school closure without being provided with information concerning a potential land swap in Mold with the Diocese,” according to the call-in notice.

“This is potentially material information which was not disclosed, presented or debated during the Cabinet meeting at which the decision was considered and voted upon.

“Given the significant financial, legal, property and educational implications of the proposed arrangement, we believe the Cabinet decision should not proceed without this information being fully examined.”

The notice goes on to detail why the matter should be called-in.

“Members have become aware of a potential land arrangement involving Flintshire County Council and the Diocese,” it claims.

“It is understood that the proposed arrangement will involve land being transferred or exchanged and that the Diocese will receive or be gifted the new school as part of that arrangement.

“If such an arrangement was under consideration before or at the time Cabinet made its decision, there is a serious question as to why this information was not included in the information available to Cabinet Members and the Education Scrutiny Committee.”

It asks councillors to establish exactly what land would be included in such a deal, who currently owns it, how much it is valued at and whether independent  valuations and legal advice have been obtained.

“A decision to close an existing school and proceed with a replacement school is a major and potentially irreversible decision,” says the document.

“Members should have been given the opportunity to consider any proposal that could affect the ownership, value, funding or future use of the replacement school and associated land.

“If the potential land swap was known before the Cabinet meeting, it is essential that there is a clear explanation as to why it was not disclosed.

“This call-in is not intended to prejudge whether a land swap with the Diocese is ultimately appropriate. However, the public must be able to have confidence that a decision of this magnitude was made transparently and on the basis of all relevant information.

“Cabinet Members cannot properly assess the consequences of closing a school and replacing it with a new school if they have not been told about a potential arrangement that could determine who owns that new school and what the council receives in return.”

The call-in will be considered at a special meeting of Flintshire’s Education, Youth and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Thursday, October 15.

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