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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.
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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 Philippa Marsden (Ynysddu) – Leader
- Cllr Jamie Pritchard (Morgan Jones) – Deputy Leader; Infrastructure, Towns and Property
- Cllr Colin Gordon (Pontllanfraith) – Corporate services
- Cllr Eluned Stenner (New Tredegar) – Customer, Performance and Property Services
- Cllr Ross Whiting (Risca West) – Learning and Leisure
- Cllr Shayne Cook (Morgan Jones) – Social Care
- Cllr Lisa Phipps (Bedwas, Trethomas, Machen) – Housing
- Cllr Nigel George (Risca East) – Waste, Public Protection and Street Scene
- Cllr Andrew Whitcombe (Abercarn) – Sustainability, Planning and Fleet
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.
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