Parents and pupils overwhelmingly reject plans to close five schools

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans which could see five schools close as part of controversial education shake-ups in north Wales have again been overwhelmingly rejected by parents, pupils and other respondents.

More than 96% objected to the creation of a multi-million pound 3-18 Catholic super-school in Flint – which would see the closure of Catholic 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.

Meanwhile a second consultation into the closure of Saltney Ferry Primary as part of a merger with Saltney Wood Memorial Primary School was rejected by  87.5% of respondents.

A deeper dive into the numbers shows 91% or Saltney Ferry respondents were against the merger while 84.7% of those from Saltney Wood opposed the plan.

Previously both consultations were halted on legal advice prior to the Senedd elections in May having faced similar levels of public opposition.

Both reports will go before a special meeting of Flintshire County Council’s    Education, Youth and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee at 2pm on Friday, September 18 where councillors will be asked to add their comments.

Two weeks ago a legal letter was issued to Flintshire County Council by Governors at St David’s Catholic Primary requesting an up-to-date costing for the proposed Catholic super-school – which has been planned in partnership with the Diocese of Wrexham.

The letter, from solicitors Addleshaw Goddard, argued that more than a year-and-a-half after the first consultation began, construction estimates for the proposed £55 million project would have to be adjusted for inflation and called on the authority to provide a full re-costing of the super school as well as independently verifiable figures covering the cost of maintaining, repairing and upgrading existing school buildings.

It also called for detailed information about how the impact on pupils – particularly those with additional needs, would be monitored and mitigated and what the proposed plans are for the two sites which will be vacated in Saltney and Mold.

The report before council however continues to use the existing valuation – with the caveat that the cost may change once design work begins.

Flintshire County Council was approached for a comment.

In a statement the Governors of St David’s Catholic Primary Schools said: “The future of St David’s – and the education and wellbeing of its pupils – must not be determined on the basis of information that may be incomplete, outdated or insufficiently explained.

“Despite repeated requests, the evidence required to properly assess the council’s proposal has not been made publicly available. This includes vital information about costs, local pupil demand, housing growth, school capacity, transport, environmental consequences, faith-based access and the impact on children with Additional Learning Needs.

“The Governors remain willing to engage constructively with Flintshire County Council. It now has an opportunity to provide the requested information, address the legal concerns raised and ensure that any future decision is made through a lawful, fair and evidence-based process.”

Both reports reflected that parents and pupils at the affected schools felt their original consultations failed to take on board their concerns.

The Saltney Ferry merger report made reference to respondents feeling ‘ignored’ and ‘a perception that local views have not influenced the proposal’.

On a similar line the Catholic super-school report said people felt ‘ decisions have already been made’ and reflected a general ‘lack of confidence in the consultation process’.

Flintshire County Council’s Education Department did respond within the consultation reports.

Speaking about the concerns raised over the Saltney Ferry merger plans, the authority said: “The council understands that some consultees feel the views expressed during the consultation have not influenced the proposal and notes the concerns raised in this regard.

“The council recognises the strength of feeling within the community and appreciates the time taken by pupils, parents, staff, governors and other stakeholders to engage with the process. All consultation responses have been carefully considered and recorded as part of the statutory consultation process.”

In relation to similar concerns over the Catholic super-school consultation, the council stated: “The new consultation gave stakeholders up‑to‑date information and provide a fair opportunity to engage and comment.

“The outcome is not predetermined.

“The purpose of the new consultation was to gather and consider the views of all interested parties before any determination is reached.

“Any future decisions will be made only after the relevant evidence, including consultation responses, has been fully considered.

“The council remains committed to ensuring that the process is transparent, fair, and accessible and that all responses received are carefully considered before any decisions are taken.”

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