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Cardiff Council Update: 13 October 2023
Here is your Friday update, covering:
- St David's Hall temporary closure extended to the New Year
- Primary school provision in Cathays and parts of Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North and Plasnewydd
- Cardiff Council set to agree funding for flagship school project
- School governor opportunities in your local community
St David's Hall temporary closure extended to the New Year - Cardiff Council Statement
This statement provides an update on the current temporary closure of St David's Hall whilst additional checks on the Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) panels in the building are carried out, and whilst the necessary next steps are taken. This update follows previous statements issued on 2nd October and 7th September.
The RAAC experts brought in by Cardiff Council to carry out the additional checks are nearing the end of their inspections, and their findings are due to be reported back to the local authority next week (week beginning 16th October).
Early indications have made it clear that work will be required if the Hall is to reopen. The exact works required will be reviewed in light of the report findings, and based on a number of factors including short versus longer term cost implications, how long it might take to deliver remedial/temporary works, and how long those remedial works might last before a full replacement of the RAAC panels in the roof was required.
We expect a decision to be taken by Cabinet this month on all of the above. However, bearing in mind remedial/temporary works might take several months to put in place, a decision has been taken now to extend the closure of St David's Hall until the New Year at the very least.
This means that further performances will be postponed and, as we have done before, we will be contacting promoters and hirers to discuss the potential for rescheduling performances. Again, we will also review all other options, including relocating productions if practicable. While the ongoing temporary closure continues, some promoters have already opted to change venues now, if available.
There is no need for customers to contact St David's Hall, we will be in touch with all ticket holders about options available once we have spoken with each affected show's promoter. We would be grateful if customers could give St David's Hall staff the space to undertake this work so that we can come back to them as quickly as possible about ticket purchases and postponed events.
We apologise to customers of St David's Hall for the further postponement of shows, and we want to reassure all ticket holders that we will be in touch to discuss rescheduling of performances and/or alternatives. Please check the St David's Hall website's news section for updates.
Renewing and improving primary school provision in Cathays and parts of Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North and Plasnewydd
The outcome of a public consultation on plans to reorganise primary school provision to serve Cathays and parts of Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North and Plasnewydd has been published.
Cardiff Council's Cabinet will now be informed of the 213 responses received on new proposals which aim to achieve the correct balance of English and Welsh medium primary provision so that current and future demand in the area can be met.
The consultation with schools, governors, parents and children concluded in June with three potential options included in the plans. Each proposal was designed to improve learning opportunities and to provide support with financial pressures currently being experienced by schools in the area.
The Cabinet are recommended to publish proposals to proceed with the most favourable of the three proposals which includes:
- Transferring Ysgol Mynydd Bychan to the current Allensbank Primary School site.
- Increasing the capacity of Ysgol Mynydd Bychan from 192 places (0.9FE) to 420 places (2FE) and increase the number of nursery places at Ysgol Mynydd Bychan from 64 to 96.
- Amalgamating Allensbank and Gladstone Primary Schools to establish a new 420 place (2FE) English-medium Primary School with nursery on the current shared Gladstone Primary School / St Monica's Church in Wales Primary School site.
The Governing Body of St Monica's Church in Wales Primary School will also consider whether to proceed with its proposal to transfer to the Ysgol Mynydd Bychan site, allowing the school to have nursery provision where children could start benefiting from the good work of the school at an earlier stage as well as improved early years accommodation and a larger outdoor area.
The speech and language early intervention class currently hosted by Allensbank would continue and could transfer to the new school, subject to agreement of the new school's Governing Body, or could transfer to an alternative school in September 2025.
Cardiff Council set to agree funding for flagship school project
One of Cardiff Council's flagship projects to transform education across the city is set to clear a major hurdle with the approval of funds to begin building the pioneering Fairwater Community Campus.
A new report, which goes before the council's Cabinet next week (Oct 19), recommends approving funds that will allow the main building work to go ahead on the redevelopment of the Cantonian High School site.
When the campus is completed in the 2026/27 academic year, it will incorporate three existing schools - Cantonian, Woodlands and Riverbank - and form the largest project in the Welsh Government Sustainable Communities for Learning programme.
Under the plan, the new Fairwater Community Campus will:
- Increase the capacity of Cantonian High from six forms of entry to eight, with sixth-form provision for up to 250 pupils in new accommodation
- Expand the provision for learners with an Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) at Cantonian from 20 to 30 places in new purpose-built accommodation
- Transfer Woodlands Special School to Cantonian's existing site and increase its capacity from 140 to 240 places in new accommodation, and
- Transfer Riverbank Special School to Cantonian's existing site and increase capacity from 70 to 112 places in new accommodation.
The new school will mean state-of-the-art facilities and an end to the use of temporary classrooms, as well as increasing the number of places in special schools for 4-19-year-olds with complex learning needs.
It will also have high-quality new sports facilities including a 3G rugby pitch with spectator stand, 7-a-side football pitch, and a sports and wellbeing centre comprising a four-court sports hall, an activity studio, a gym and an accessible climbing wall, plus multi-use games areas. All of these facilities would be available to the community outside of school hours and school use.
School governor opportunities in your local community
Cardiff Council is looking for school governors from diverse backgrounds with different skills and experience to take up positions on governing bodies across the city and anew campaign has been launched to promote the various opportunities available.
The Council is looking for people from all walks of life with a range of skills and life experiences, who would be willing to support a local school. The most important volunteer workforce in education, School Governors play a critical role in improving education and making a positive difference to the future of children and young people.
Becoming a school governor provides a range of benefits, providing the opportunity to become involved with a local school and the chance to directly contribute to the success of the children and young people it serves. There is also the opportunity to develop professional and personal skills and experience in a wide range of areas such as strategic planning, decision making and financial management which can assist with careers and personal development.
Free continuing professional development is provided by the Local Authority to support governors in their role. As a minimum a governor could be expected to contribute approximately five hours a month to a school which would vary according to the range of responsibilities chosen to accept.
