Caerphilly’s education councillor has hit back at recent reports that have raised hopes of reopening asbestos-hit Cwmcarn High School.
Cllr Rhianon Passmore has issued a statement defending Caerphilly County Borough Council’s decision to close the school and has said an independent expert will review all available information.
This follows the publication of two reports which indicated the threat of asbestos to pupils and staff was not as high as originally thought.
Cwmcarn High School was closed on October 12 last year after a report by Santia Asbestos Management Ltd asked Caerphilly Council to consider whether school buildings should be demolished because of widespread airborne asbestos. Since then, the school’s pupils have relocated to the former Coleg Gwent campus in Ebbw Vale.
But a report published by the Health and Safety Executive laboratory (HSL) has said the original findings by Santia may have been overstated. Another report by company Ensafe, commissioned by the school itself, found the decision by the council to close the school was “understandable” but not supported by any airborne fibre testing sample results.
Cllr Passmore however defended the decision to close the school.
She said: “We fully appreciate that there is a lot of concern and confusion in the community about what exactly is happening at the school.
“Our priority is the safety, health and well-being of the pupils and staff and we make no apology for our swift and decisive decision to close the school in light of the information that was presented to us back in October.
“There is no question about whether asbestos is present at the site. It is a known fact that there are large quantities of asbestos material throughout the building, but of most concern to us is the significant amount of asbestos debris present in the ceiling and roof voids as well as the heater cabinets.
“What we are trying to establish is the level of risk that this causes to pupils and staff at the school.”
Cllr Passmore has said a review of the differing reports’ findings will be carried out by an independent expert who will report back to councillors within a fortnight.
She added: “This is the correct course of action and will provide clarity and overview of the differing findings of the reports to date.
“The undertaking of this review will not delay the full management survey and the report will be produced within a two week period.
“This will provide a full option appraisal on the possible actions available. The options for the site will then be debated by a meeting of Full Council and be subject to the full democratic decision-making process.
“All decisions will be made in light of the information provided and we will continue to seek to progress this matter as swiftly as is possible.
“I wish to sincerely thank all families and pupils for their patience and understanding in light of such an unprecedented situation.
“I restate, that the overiding priority is and has always been the safety, health, welbeing and, further to this, the education of all pupils involved.”
Meanwhile, angry parents will march from Cwmcarn today (Monday February 25) in protest at the handling of the situation.
Mohammad Asghar, Assembly Member for South Wales East, has also criticised the “poor attitude” of the Welsh Government towards the problems at Cwmcarn High School.
Mr Asghar said was recently contacted by parents and governors of the school who expressed their concerns about future funding and potential job losses.
The AM has said parents have pulled their pupils from the school creating a situation where the school could get a cut in its funding.
Education Minister Leighton Andrews has said concerns regarding the school’s future funding and potential job losses were the responsibility of the local authority and stated that the school’s governing body had assumed full responsibility of the asbestos issue.
Commenting on the response, Mr Asghar said: “Both Caerphilly County Borough Council and the Labour Government have been highly uncooperative in allaying the fears of those concerned.
“This situation has not only been disruptive to the staff and pupils of Cwmcarn High School but has also been of considerable cost to the taxpayer and therefore it has everything to do with the Education Minister and the Welsh Government.
“I sympathise greatly with those affected and will continue to challenge those responsible until normal service for the staff and pupils of Cwmcarn High School is resumed once more.”
The sad fact is that Caerphilly is so far removed from the old Islwyn communities that it has no interest in us or our futures. Our own councillors are inadequate and certainly do not represent the best interests of their wards. Rhiannon Passmore defends the Council's decision whilst representing the Risca area. I hardly think that she she has our best concerns at heart. Caerphilly County Borough Council may have a good reputation in some areas but for Abercarn and Cwmcarn they simply do not acknowledge our existence
-except to collect our taxes……
It is very difficult to place any confidence in pronouncements from CCBC with regard to Cwmcarn High School, and this is yet another case in point. It is astonishing that having published the original Santia report which led to this appalling situation for pupils, parents and staff at the school, they have refrained from publishing the report of the Health and Safety Executive – which is a fully independent government agency. Anyone who takes the time to read the HSE report (now available on the school website) will see how it demonstrates the incompetence of the Santia investigation and invalidates its conclusions.
That CCBC continues to act on the basis that Santia is correct and the HSE is mistaken beggars belief, and leads to a continuing unnecessary cost to the tax-payer, further disruption to the education of the children, and anxious uncertainty as to the future of the school. It is difficult not to draw the conclusion that the latter consideration is what CCBC wishes to maintain by its continuing prevarication, for this uncertainty will lead to school numbers falling as parents seek to secure the education of their children.
The longer this continues the more the impression is established that this entire situation has been hijacked to serve a political purpose: CCBC have to close three schools under the 21st Century Schools Initiative. It looks like they have targeted Cwmcarn High School, the best-performing school in the county, because as a foundation school it is under Local Authority control.
Sorry – last comment should have read:
CCBC have to close three schools under the 21st Century Schools Initiative. It looks like they have targeted Cwmcarn High School, the best-performing school in the county, because as a foundation school it is NOT under Local Authority control.
The fact is , Rhiannon Passmore is more interested in ensuring Risca Comprehensive school stays open. She should not be involved in dealing with any issues regarding Cwmcarn High School . Surely there is a conflict of interests when you are on the board of governors of a school that could at some point be in direct competition to stay open ??
If CCBC are genuinely bothered about asbestos in schools then what about all the others that have got it cwmcarn is not the only one.
Cefn forest primary has had it for years and the current headteacher inherited the problem.
I sincerely hope that this is not going to be a repeat of the rhiw-syr-daffydd situation where the original school was being closed due to age of the place only to then be fit enough to be re-opened as a welsh school.
Why does the CCBC think its more competent than the HSE? . It looks like they have targeted Cwmcarn High School, the best-performing school in the county, because as a foundation school it is NOT under Local Authority control. Typical Labour dirty tricks.