Here is your Tuesday update, covering:

• A £25m recladding plan for Butetown high-rises
• Increasing Additional Learning Needs education
• Changes to the school admissions policy
• Radyr Rangers to get help to improve facilities

Multi-million pound investment in Butetown high-rise flats

Plans for a £25m investment in two blocks of flats in the city are in the pipeline as part of the council's high-rise recladding scheme.

Nelson House and Loudoun House in Butetown are the next of the Council's blocks to undergo recladding and improvement works in phase two of the programme.

Cladding was removed from five Council high rise blocks in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy. While the retro-fitted, external cladding on the Council's high rise blocks was not the same as the highly flammable ACM-type that was used at Grenfell, it did not meet current fire safety standards and therefore could pose additional risk during a fire. 

Cladding was not removed from Loudoun House at that time as the building was considered lower risk with two stairwells and a 24/7 fire watch, which remains in place.

As recladding and improvement works, including new windows and balconies, at the three blocks at Lydstep Flats are nearing completion proposals for the second phase of the project at Nelson House and Loudoun House are now being brought forward and will be considered by Cabinet at its next meeting on Thursday March 21.

The scope of the works includes the removal of cladding from Loudoun House, the installation of a new cladding system to both blocks, new windows, a replacement roof covering of the concierge block and some boiler replacements and gas works.

Read more here

City-wide plans to increase and realign provision for pupils with Additional Learning Needs

Comprehensive proposals to enhance and increase Additional Learning Needs provision in Cardiff are proposed from September 2024, following two public consultations which concluded in January.

Providing more than 100 new places city-wide, the range of proposals acknowledge the growing population of learners with complex learning needs, autism spectrum conditions and emotional health and wellbeing needs, and look to address the increased demand for specialist placements for primary and secondary age learners.

At its next meeting on Thursday 21st March, the Cabinet will hear the views from members of the public, pupils and stakeholders of the schools involved in the plans and will be recommended to approve the following:

• establish a new 8 place Specialist Resource Base (SRB) for Emotional Health and Wellbeing at Baden Powell Primary School from September 2024 within the existing buildings.
• establish an 8 place SRB for Emotional Health and Wellbeing at Fairwater Primary School from September 2024. This would replace the existing Wellbeing Class.
• establish a new 16 place SRB for Emotional Health and Wellbeing at Herbert Thompson Primary School from September 2025, within existing buildings or a new building.
• establish a 16 place SRB for Emotional Health and Wellbeing at Lakeside Primary School from September 2024, within the existing buildings. This would replace the existing Wellbeing Class.
• establish an 8 place SRB for Emotional Health and Wellbeing at Springwood Primary School from September 2024, within the existing buildings. This would replace the existing Wellbeing Class.
• establish a 20-place SRB for learners with Emotional Health and Wellbeing Needs at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr from September 2024, within the existing buildings.
• establish a 20 place SRB for Autism at Coed Glas Primary School from September 2024, within the existing buildings.
• establish a 20 place SRB for Complex Learning Needs and /or Autism at Greenway Primary School from September 2024, within the existing buildings.
• establish a 20 place SRB for Complex Learning Needs and/or Autism at Severn Primary School from September 2024, within the existing buildings.

Of the 87 responses received across the two consultations, there was overall support for the establishment of SRB provision supporting learners with Complex Learning Needs and/or Autism, and learners with Emotional Health and Wellbeing Needs.

Read more here

Council publishes revised school admissions policy

Cardiff Council has proposed making changes to its school's admissions policy following a public consultation process carried out at the turn of the year.

The authority has to review its admissions policy annually and has sought views from headteachers, governing bodies, church representatives and neighbouring education authorities.

The consultation which concluded in January, drew out a number of responses which have now been addressed in a new report to be discussed by the Council's Cabinet on Thursday 21st March.

To help formulate the admissions policy, the Council works closely with the Admissions Forum, which includes representatives of community, voluntary controlled, foundation and voluntary aided schools, parent governors and local community representatives.

Among the responses received it was requested that a number of changes were made to school catchment areas.  Although no changes are proposed for 2025/26, any future changes would only take place following a full public consultation on school catchment areas with a wide range of stakeholders, including local members, schools, and parents of children who may be affected by any changes.

Other proposed changes include:

• Replacing a section in the admissions policy on children with statements of special educational needs with a section on children with additional learning needs who have an individual development plan.
• Clarification on changing school during the academic year, and
• Clarification on submission of documents relating to a child's home address.

Read more here

Plans to help Radyr Rangers improve facilities to be agreed

Plans that will help sports club Radyr Rangers improve their facilities at Morganstown Recreation Ground are due to be agreed with Cardiff Council.

The club are set to become the latest community sports club in Cardiff to take on responsibility for the management and maintenance of facilities and pitches in the park where they play.

The new arrangements, which are proposed for a 25-year term, cover the existing changing rooms and will allow the club preferential use of the nearby sports pitches. The arrangement will enable the club to access new funding streams which are unavailable to local authorities, and will enable the club to move forward with proposals to build new changing rooms, subject to planning permission.

As a consequence of the plans, legal notices have been published advertising the ‘disposal' of 2,995 sq m of land at Gelynis Terrace, Morganstown, Cardiff.

‘Disposal' is a legal term which, in this case, refers to the granting of a lease. All land will remain in the ownership of Cardiff Council.

Read more here