First phase of school merger feedback ends

THE first phase of consultation to close four catholic schools in Flintshire and create a super-school to replace them is now closed.

- By ALEC DOYLE Local Democracy Reporter

Parents who oppose the scheme now face an anxious wait over the summer as the responses are collated into a report for Flintshire County Council's Cabinet to consider when it reconvenes in September.

The plans were first revealed in January when the Diocese of Wrexham and Flintshire County Council's Education and Youth department issued a video announcement to all four schools identified for closure - St Anthony's Catholic Primary in Saltney, St David's in Mold and St Mary's and St Richard Gwyn in Flint.

In place of the three primary schools and St Richard Gwyn High School, the local authority and the diocese plan to build a £55.5 million catholic super-school for children aged 3-18 on the site of St Mary's and St Richard Gwyn in Flint.

The proposals detail that 85% of the funding will come from Welsh Government's Sustainable Communities Fund, with 15% coming from Flintshire County Council and the Diocese of Wrexham.

The consultation report, including feedback, is due to go before Flintshire’s cabinet on September 16.