Caerphilly County Borough Council has approved plans to build a new Welsh medium school on the site of St Ilan Comprehensive in Caerphilly town.
At a special meeting of full council on Tuesday night, councillors across the political divide voted to spend £3.5m to begin work on the first phase of the project. Year 7 pupils living in the Caerphilly basin will start at the new school in September 2013.
Last week, Caerphilly Council’s cabinet approved the plan, but the move required the agreement of the full council.
A report to councillors warned however that funding from the Welsh Government – through its 21st Century Schools programme – was far from certain, despite Cardiff Bay provisionally accepting revised proposals last year.
Under the revised scheme the Welsh Government would fund at least 50% of the cost – instead of the original 70%. According to the report presented to councillors, this would only be the case for spending made after April 1 2014 and not before.
This means the council could end up having to find £1.75m to fund the work.
The decision was made to spend the money on the first phase of St Ilan because of growing demand for Welsh language places in Caerphilly County Borough. If St Ilan is not open before September 2013, then at least 25 pupils wanting a place would be turned away from Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni. This would likely increase to 150 pupils by 2015.
Council leader Allan Pritchard admitted at the meeting there were no “cast iron guarantees” but that he had been advised by Welsh Government officials the authority should be entitled to the money.
The opening of the new school will form part of an overall strategy to develop it as campus for pupils aged between three and 16 with the opportunity to offer some post-16 education provision as well.
The existing Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni, in Fleur de Lys, will be the main 16 to 19 campus.
Cllr Phil Bevan, Cabinet Member for Education, Leisure and Lifelong Learning said, “This is an ambitious and well thought out plan. We are clearly leading the way in Wales in developing Welsh medium education fit for the 21st century and we now look forward to these plans progressing.”
There were questions posed by councillors about council plans to close three English medium comprehensives, which also forms part of Caerphilly Council’s 21st Century Schools bid to the Welsh Government.
Cllr Dave Rees said he could not support a plan to close schools when he did not know which schools would close. He proposed an amendment asking for further detail but withdrew it after officers confirmed that Tuesday night’s vote would only be on the specific St Ilan issue.
Work is set to begin on site in April.