School closure plans on hold after legal challenge

Alec Doyle, Local democracy reporter.

Five schools threatened with closure have been given a temporary reprieve after a final decision on their fate was delayed. 

Plans to close four Catholic schools in Flintshire – to be replaced by a Catholic super-school – plus a separate proposal to close Saltney Ferry Primary School as part of a merger with Saltney Wood Memorial Primary have been deferred by Flintshire County Council following a late legal challenge. 

Governors at St David’s Catholic Primary School in Mold last week issued a legal letter from law firm Addleshaw Goddard raising several concerns with the consultation process into the super-school plans. 

Having taken legal advice – and employed the same consultation process for both proposals – Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet has decided to defer them while the plans are re-evaluated. 

In a meeting that lasted less than fifteen minutes, Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure Cllr Mared Eastwood told Flintshire’s Cabinet that delays would mean more uncertainty, but it was the right decision. 

“I realise that today’s Cabinet is to consider proposals to reorganise the Catholic education provision in Flintshire and to modernise the English-medium primary education provision in Saltney.,” she said. 

“However, given late legal challenges relating to aspects of the consultation process, I feel it would be appropriate to defer both agenda items to enable the time to review and address the matters raised before we make the recommendations listed.  

“I realise and acknowledge that this will extend the period of uncertainty for the schools, staff and parents, but believe this is the right decision so that Cabinet members have the complete information before any further consideration.” 

Her move to defer the plans was supported by Flintshire Council Leader Cllr Dave Hughes. 

“I agree, we need to be assured that the information we base our decisions upon is accurate and legally sound,” he said.   

“The suggestion is the correct route to take as the as the public interest continues to be significant and we need to be sure that all information is accurate, so I second this.” 

The move was supported unanimously by members of the Cabinet. No new date has yet been set for the plans to come back for members to review. 

In February 2025 Flintshire County Council and the Diocese of Wrexham announced plans to build a super-school in Flint for pupils aged 3-18 at an initial cost of £55.5 million, with Welsh Government funding 85% of the build and Flintshire paying for 15% through borrowing. 

The super school plans included proposals to close the Catholic primary schools at St David’s in Mold, St Anthony’s in Saltney and St Mary’s in Flint alongside St Richard Gwyn High School in Flint, where the new school would be built. 

Merger

In addition to St Anthony’s in Saltney being earmarked for closure, at the same time Flintshire Council unveiled a £12.5m plan to merge Saltney Wood Memorial Primary School and Saltney Ferry Primary School on the Saltney Wood site. 

Opponents of the scheme argued that closing Saltney Ferry and forcing young children to cross town to get to school posed significant safeguarding risks. 

Both proposals faced significant challenges, with over 4,000 people opposing the Catholic super-school plans and over 3,000 opposing the Saltney Ferry closure.