Nelson: Llancaeach Infants and Llanfabon Juniors merger plans

Two Nelson primary schools could be merged – at a cost of £4 million – under plans put forward by Caerphilly County Borough Council.

On Thursday (March 25), the council’s education scrutiny committee supported the submission an outline plan to the Welsh Government on proposals to merge Llancaeach Junior School and Llanfabon Infants School.

The existing Llanfabon Infants site will house both schools and will be expanded and refurbished to accommodate the additional places, if plans go ahead.

In total, it is expected the proposal will see 275 primary school places on the site, alongside a nursery.

As the plans include a merger, the proposal will require a formal consultation.

A report says the proposal will reduce surplus places and create more opportunities for community use.

Current estimates indicate the proposal will cost around £4 million. The council would cover 35% of this (£1.4m), while the Welsh Government would contribute the remaining £2.6m.

The merger was included in the council’s Caerphilly Wellbeing and Place Shaping Framework, which set out a host of projects totalling £231m.

Speaking in the meeting, Councillor Brenda Miles, who represents the Nelson ward, said the proposal “is a good one”.

She said parents who have children in both schools currently find it difficult going between the two.

Cllr Phil Bevan said this had been “a long time coming”.

The cabinet will now consider the report on April 7 and decide whether to move forward with a business case.

What is Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet?

A council’s cabinet is made up of councillors in charge of different policy areas – such as education, environment, local economy, etc – and a leader.

It is separate to the council’s corporate management structure, which is headed up by its chief executive and various directors. Cabinet is made up of councillors, who are elected and have the ultimate say.

Typically, cabinet members are councillors from the party with the most elected council members.

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet is made up of:

Cllr Sean Morgan (Nelson) – Leader
Cllr Jamie Pritchard (Morgan Jones) – Deputy Leader; Prosperity, Regeneration and Climate Change
Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Corporate Services and Property
Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Finance and Performance
Cllr Carol Andrews (Gilfach) – Education and Communities
Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Housing
Cllr Elaine Forehead (Van) – Social Care
Cllr Philippa Leonard (Risca East) – Planning and Public Protection
Cllr Chris Morgan (Machen and Rudry) – Waste, Leisure and Green Spaces

Corporate management is made up of unelected employees of the council and has responsibility for day-to-day management of services, such as making sure the bins are collected. Corporate directors work with cabinet members to come up with policy which is then agreed upon by the cabinet.

_{Last updated October 13, 2023}

Jaggery

Council pressing ahead with school merger plans

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