Council to hold consultation over school closure proposal

A CONSULTATION is to take place over the proposed closure of a Neath Port Talbot comprehensive which would see pupils having to travel miles to alternatives.

If approved, children aged 11 to 16 at Cymer Afan Comprehensive School in the Upper Afan Valley would be offered a place at the new Ysgol Newydd Margam, Cefn Saeson or Ysgol Maesteg from September 2019.

Margam is 10 miles from Cymmer while a journey to Maesteg is four miles and Cefn Saeson, which is in Cimla, is eight miles away.

The aging school, which has 226 pupils – but a capacity for 640 – and 50 teachers and support staff, has a £3m maintenance and repair bill hanging over it. It is also feared that the school is not economically viable as the local authority currently spends £7,111 per Cymer Afan pupil as opposed the Neath Port Talbot average of £2,600.

The local authority said the recruitment of a permanent head teacher had proved difficult despite the post being recently advertised nationally on a number of occasions.

Council leader Rob Jones, said: “The council is committed to listening carefully to people’s views and will fully engage with the community before any final decisions are made.”

Councillor Peter Rees, cabinet member for education, skills and culture, added: “This proposal would provide pupils with a wider range of teaching and learning facilities which will have a positive impact on pupil wellbeing and attainment”.

The consultation process, if approved at a future meeting, will run from Monday, December 11, until Friday, January 26.