Council leader: “Expansion plans for Trinity Fields School are now under review”

Sean Morgan is the leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council. He is also a Labour councillor for the Nelson ward.

As the new Leader of Council, I’m committed to delivering positive change, so I’m pleased to be able provide an update on two key issues that have been causing concern in the community for too long.

Firstly, I can announce that the expansion plans for Trinity Fields School are now under review.

Alternative plans are being considered for the extension of this flagship special needs school in Ystrad Mynach. The original proposal would have led to the loss of an adjacent sports pitch to accommodate the planned extension works, so we are now looking at new options to deliver the scheme with less impact on the surrounding area.

The amazing staff at Trinity Fields support the most vulnerable children and young people in our community, but the school needs to grow because we are seeing an increasing demand for places. However, I have also listened to the concerns raised by the community about the potential loss of green space, so we need to find an alternative solution.

Talks are ongoing with the school, but I’m confident that options can be agreed which allows us to increase capacity at the school without requiring the loss of the nearby sports pitch. We will provide further updates in due course, but I’m sure the whole community will welcome this positive news.

The other issue I would like to clarify is the establishment of a residents’ liaison group for the operations at Bryn Quarry near Gelligaer.

Again, I’m acutely aware of ongoing concerns in the local community and can confirm that we are planning to restart the liaison group, with the full cooperation and agreement of the Bryn Group, in the Autumn.

This decision, along with other community engagement measures, will be considered by the cabinet over the coming months. As soon as we have agreed details, these will be communicated fully to all parties.

I hope this update clearly demonstrates that we are listening to genuine concerns being raised by the community and that this administration at Caerphilly CBC will always look for a best way forward for all.