Plans advance for new £66 million school

Dale Spridgeon – Local democracy reporter

Plans to relocate a north Wales school affected by the RAAC concrete crisis have taken a major step forward.

Anglesey Council’s executive have agreed to press ahead with proposals to relocate pupils at Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi to a new £66m school building.

The school was one of the first in Wales hit by the crumbly concrete crisis in 2023, and requires extensive maintenance to keep it operating.

During a meeting of the council executive on Tuesday (October 21), councillors agreed to publish a statutory notice outlining its intention to re-locate the school.

Results

A consultation on the proposed move was held in June and July, with the results showing 79% of participants agreed with the proposed move.

The council intends to move the school to land near Holyhead Leisure Centre – dependent on land acquisition.

Ysgol Uwchradd Caergybi was one of two schools on Anglesey which had seen closures when Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete was found back in 2023.

The ageing school is located between South Stack Road and Porth y Felin Road.

A report described how some of the current school buildings were constructed during the 1960s, and early 1970s, with various later additions, but some classrooms dated to the 1940s.

Clustering

The council had looked into various options from leaving things as they were, to refurbishing the school, federating with other schools, moving learners to other secondary schools, creating a new multi-site or clustering schools.

Following discussions with pupils, teachers, parents and Estyn, the director of education, skills and young people Aaron Evans told the meeting that “under the circumstance, the most appropriate response was to build a new school building”.

The decision would “secure the future of long term education in the Holyhead area,” he said.

It would also “ensure that we can meet present and future requirements,” and would give “other benefits,” including the council not having to pay maintenance costs of around £29m.

Mr Evans noted that the existing building was currently “safe”.

The proposed cost to build a new school was estimated at £66m, with £60.7m delivered through a Mutual Investment Model.

The Welsh Government would contribute 81% towards the Annual Service Charge through the Sustainable Communities for Learning programme with the council contributing 19%.

Future

A remaining £5.2m would be financed through the council’s capital (35%) and the Welsh Government (65%) Sustainable Communities for Learning.

The potential decision would “ensure the long-term sustainability of secondary education in the Holyhead area and ensure that there are sufficient school places to meet the needs now and into the future,” the report stated.

A new school would provide 900 places (750 pupils in years 7-11 and 150 in years 12 -13) and the admission number per academic year would be 150 (based on year 7-11 only).

Cabinet member for education and Welsh language Cllr Dafydd Roberts said: “This is one of the most positive pieces of work that I have been involved with as the portfolio holder, and possibly in my career as a councillor.

“It will make a difference, if we are successful, and will be a positive thing for Holyhead.”