Super school plan now faces super opposition

CONCERNED COUNCILLORS CALL-IN DECISION FOR REVIEW AS RESOLVE TO PRESS ON WITH SCHEME CHALLENGED

- By ALEC DOYLE

A GROUP of councillors have challenged Flintshire County Council's decision to press on with its controversial Catholic school restructuring plan despite overwhelming public opposition.

The opposition councillors have formally 'called-in' the decision to push forward with the next statutory stage of what the authority calls the Catholic Schools Reorganisation - delaying the opening of a public objection period.

Meanwhile some parents have warned they will seek a Judicial Review if Flintshire County Council continues to, in their words, 'ignore statutory duties, public opposition and safeguarding obligations.

The restructuring plan is a joint scheme between Flintshire and the Diocese of Wrexham. It proposes the closure of three Catholic primary schools St Anthony's in Saltney, St David's in Mold and St Mary's in Flint plus St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School.

Replacing them would be a £55 million super-school offering Catholic education for children from 3-11 years old. If approved St Anthony's would close at the end of this school year, with pupils having to go to Venerable Edward Morgan in Shotton or cross the border to be educated in England from September, while the other schools would remain open until the super-school was completed.

A consultation over the summer on the plans saw more than 2,000 respondents make their feelings known, with 95% against the proposals.

Such an overwhelming rejection of the scheme prompted the Education Youth and Culture Overview and Scrutiny Committee to recommend that Flintshire's Cabinet pause the process and reconsider alternative options.

But during their October meeting Cabinet dismissed the recommendation.

Cllr Mared Eastwood, Cabinet Member for Education, Welsh Language, Culture and Leisure, said: "We fully accept that reviewing the future of any school is controversial and emotive, with schools having strong ties to local communities.