A decision is expected to be taken next week on controversial bids for Swansea Valley Super School in Pontardave. According to plans, the primary schools in Altwen, Llangiugh and Godre’graig will close and be replaced by a new school for 630 full-time students, 140 part-time custodial students, a special learning center and a community pool, if It’s allowed. – ahead of the next step at the Neath Port Talbot cabinet meeting on 19 April.

The plans received an “overwhelming” reaction from teachers, parents and residents last year, with many saying they were inappropriate and harmful to both education and community life in the Swansea Valley. The proposals have been at the center of controversy since original plans for the site were legally challenged by a group of Welsh secondary school parents called Rhieni Dros Addygz Gymraeg in 2022.

Following this challenge, the court ruled in favor of the case which was brought because the Welsh language impact assessment had not been carried out at the same time as the school consultation.

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After reviewing the assessment, the council’s new rainbow coalition laid out plans for a second debate between December 2022 and February 2023. A council spokesman said: “The consultation took place between 5 December 2022 and 7 December 2022. February 2022, 2023. This involved holding a public meeting in Pontardawe and online, as well as meetings with various stakeholders including school leaders, staff and parents. The consultation period was also extended by two weeks to allow further comments.

“Now that the consultation is complete, a joint meeting of the Cabinet and the Education, Skills and Welfare Scrutiny Committee will have the opportunity to consider the consultation report and offer its views to the Cabinet before deciding on its course of action. . This meeting will take place at 14:00 on the 19th of April, before the meeting of the Council of Ministers.

The report, released after a public consultation, found that a majority of residents in the area were opposed to plans to build a new school, with 576 of the 816 responses considered against, compared with 201 in favor and 39 unsure.

Both Pontardawe City Council and governing bodies for Alltwen, Godre’r’graig and Llangiwg primary schools also rejected the plans for the second time this year. Pontardave city councilor Dai Braine said he hoped that, after months of debate, the municipality would listen to the views of people in the area.

He said: “Most people in Pontardave are against the plans and there is no doubt what people in the community want. There is no more democratic process that the public can use to oppose him, and at every possible stage in every possible way. they said no.

“I would urge members of the Neath Port Talbot Council cabinet to listen to the people of Swansea Valley to avoid feelings of disappointment and mistrust in the democratic process in the future.”

The Neath Port Talbot council will discuss the plans on 19 April before deciding whether to go ahead. This will involve approving the publication of the new school proposal, with a 28-day contestation period, with a final decision in June/July 2023, or total rejection of the proposal. You can read more about our stories from Neath Port Talbot here or sign up for our newsletter here.

Source: Wales Online