Two Welsh language schools need £4.5m from Welsh government for ‘major refurbishments’

Emily Gill, local democracy reporter

Torfaen council will ask Welsh Government for £4.5 million to refurbish two Welsh medium primary schools in Pontypool and Cwmbran.

Both Ysgol Bryn Onnen in Pontypool and Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran need “major refurbishments”, which could cost nearly £7 million.

However, the county borough council’s cabinet has agreed to put a business case together to ask the Welsh Government to fund 65 per cent of this – £4.5 million. The remainder would be funded by the council.

A report on the proposal says the schools “are in need of major refurbishment in order to provide suitable and sustainable primary education facilities for those parents and carers who select Welsh medium education for their children”.

There are no plans to increase the capacities of the schools, so a public consultation is not required.

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Decision

Both schools have a maintenance backlog, which means there is already a list of repairs. Ysgol Bryn Onnen’s totals £244,100, while Ysgol Gymraeg Cwmbran’s totals £315,550.

Although the full scope of the refurbishment work is yet to be decided, the key elements for Ysgol Bryn Onnen are the refurbishment of some classrooms, toilet blocks, general accessibility, parking and drop-off point, public spaces, the kitchen and dining area, the main hall, and the boiler plant.

The refurbishment at Gymraeg Cwmbran could see changes to classroom interiors, the remodelling of the school entrance and security, changes to the electrics and external doors and remodelling the kitchen and outdoor learning spaces.

The council estimates that the work will be completed in both schools by September 2024.

It is not known when the council will make a decision on whether to provide the necessary funding for the two schools to be refurbished.