Work to knock down Cwmcarn High School will start “as soon as possible” and will include all buildings except for a former arts block.
The school closed on October 10, 2018, a little more than two years after its governing body announced notice of its planned closure.
Fourteen compulsory redundancies were made at the time of the school’s closure, including 10 support staff and four teaching.
A Caerphilly council report says the authority worked closely with the school and was “extremely successful” in securing alternative employment for staff.
The school had experienced “budgetary problems” in recent years and these were made worse by “dramatic falling rolls” due to the closure announcement, the report says.
A £3million business case was approved by Welsh Government for additional classrooms at Newbridge School to accommodate Cwmcarn pupils who wished to transfer.
The money, along with an extra £1.5million council investment, was also be used for demolition works at both Cwmcarn High and Newbridge Schools.
Demolition work at the Newbridge school is now complete.
And a council report giving an update on the project says work to demolish Cwmcarn High School is due to start soon.
“The demolition works will commence at the Cwmcarn High site as soon as possible to minimise standing and security costs and to remove the anti-social behaviour/vandalism risk,” the report says.
“The relatively new build arts block is the only school building in good condition and this will be excluded from the demolition works.”
Work to tackle an asbestos issue closed the school for 14 months in 2012.
In February of last year, Caerphilly council set aside £1.4million to meet a projected deficit on the closure of the school.
But the deficit has now risen by £295,000 to £1.7million.
The majority of the deficit, £221,000, is made up of relief and supply cover.
A report on the issue will go before the council’s cabinet, with one option being to use reserves to meet the deficit.
However there remains some uncertainty over the final deficit due to some outstanding queries and smaller invoices still being received.
“Monitoring is on-going due to the volatility and uncertain nature of the spend,” a council report adds.
“The level of projected overspend has increased by circa £100,000 since the previous update, however due to the uncertain nature of this spend the budget position could improve or deteriorate further by the end of the financial year.”