£70m scheme to add more school places

A PLAN to spend almost £70m to increase the number of school places in Bridgend is set to get the go ahead.

Five priority areas identified by the council, which would see the expansion of English and Welsh-medium primary and special school places, have already been approved in principle by the Welsh Government.

And now the full council is expected to approve funding for the £68.2m scheme, which would be partially paid for by the Welsh Government under the second wave of the 21st Century gramme.

A report presented to cabinet on Tuesday, which is also due to go before full council on Wednesday, states the so-called Band B schemes are:

Bridgend north east - two form entry (FE); Bridgend south east – 2.5FE; Bridgend Special School – 270 places;

Bridgend west medium two FE; and, Schools – Pro- Welsh

Bridgend west medium two FE.

The report by Lindsay Harvey, the interim director of education, and interim head of finance Gill Lewis said that in order to receive the required Welsh Government funding the council will now have to submit detailed business cases for each project and include details of how the match funding, circa £22.8m, required from the council will be provided.

At this stage it remains unclear if new schools will be built or if existing schools will be expanded. – English

The council said it will now appraise its options before taking forward its preferred schemes.

Band A of the school modernisation programme is due for completion by 2019.

Some projects within this band have already been completed including special needs provision at Bryncethin campus, Coety Primary and Betws Primary, and construction has commenced on remaining schemes such as the relocation of Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Cwm Garw amd the replacement Brynmenyn and Pencoed primaries.