Thousands object to Catholic super-school proposals

Two councillors who have backed the campaign against a new £55 million Catholic superschool claim that more than 4,000 formal objections have been received.

According to Liberal Democrat group leader on Flintshire County Council Cllr Andrew Parkhurst and his Lib Dem colleague Cllr David Coggins Cogan, by 6.30pm on Monday, December 15 – the final day of the objection period – the authority had received 3,976 responses.

The councillors actually hand-delivered 2,250 letters of objection to the Chief Executive of Flintshire County Council Neal Cockerton on the final day.

By 10pm Cllr Coggins Cogan claims he was told the number of responses had passed 4,000, with the deadline set for 11.59pm that day.

He stated it was a record response – while Flintshire County Council said it was consistent with previous consultations and inline with expectations.

Each objection must now be formally considered and responded to as part of the statutory objection report before any final decision can lawfully be taken.

Members of the public were objecting to plans by the council and the Diocese of Wrexham to close four Catholic schools in Flintshire and replace them with a through-school for pupils aged 3-18.

The school, which would be funded 85% by the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Fund and 15% by Flintshire County Council through borrowing, would be built on the site of St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School and St Mary’s Catholic Primary School – two of the four schools identified for closure.

The other two schools earmarked to close – St Anthony’s Catholic Primary in Saltney and St David’s Catholic Primary in Mold – have campaigned tirelessly against the proposals since they were first revealed in February.

“Parents and communities in both Mold and Saltney have been absolutely clear,” said Cllr Parkhurst. “These schools matter, they are valued and they are worth fighting for.

“The council now has a legal and moral duty to take these objections seriously – not simply press ahead regardless as they did with the previous consultation.”

According the Flintshire County Council, the proposals are the most efficient way to get rid of surplus places amid falling pupil numbers.

School transport

Parents action groups at both St David’s and St Anthony’s have raised a number of concerns about the proposals, claiming not enough information has been provided about how young children will be transported safely across the county to Flint.

They have also raised concerns about the potential educational standards of the through school, the care it will offer pupils with Additional Learning Needs, and the impact, particularly in Saltney, on Welsh education if parents send their children over the border to Catholic schools in Chester.

“This is what real community opposition looks like,” said Cllr Coggins Cogan. “Almost 4,000 people – a record number – have taken the time to put their objections in writing because they believe these closures are wrong.

“This is not a token gesture, and it is not a minority view.  It is an overwhelming message from families and residents who expect, and demand, to be listened to.”

The objection period is now closed. The council will now draft and publish a formal objection report setting out the issues raised and its responses to them to present to Cabinet in February.

After that Cabinet will make a final decision.

Strong engagement

Claire Homard, Chief Officer for Education and Youth at Flintshire County Council said: “The council is now processing the responses.

“We can confirm that the level of response is in line with expectations and consistent with other school organisation proposals previously undertaken by the council.

“While there has been strong engagement, this is not unprecedented and reflects the importance of the matter to our communities.

“We would like to thank everyone who took the time to share their views during the consultation.”

If the proposals are approved by Cabinet, St Anthony’s School in Saltney will permanently close at the end of this academic year, with the remaining schools staying open while construction is in progress.

Pupils at St Anthony’s will be offered places at the Venerable Edward Morgan School in Shotton during the construction phase of the new school.