Cabinet could approve the details of a £7.17m Education Capital Programme for 2021/22, which would ensure school premises across the County Borough continue to be maintained and enhanced with targeted investment next year.
A report presented to Cabinet on Thursday, March 25, outlines the ongoing programme of work required to maintain premises that are of good quality across the Council’s school estate, ensuring buildings are safe, watertight and warm. An allocation of £7.17m for ongoing minor work in 2021/22, as part of a rolling three-year programme, was recently agreed by Full Council on March 10.
There are many considerations in compiling each year’s programme, including surveys, investigations and Estyn reports, along with health and safety requirements, reducing the carbon footprint, creating flexible teaching spaces and investing in adaptions to assist pupils with mobility or accessibility needs.
The Cabinet report proposes allocations for key elements of the programme, such as kitchen refurbishments (£360,000), essential works (£1.5m) window and door replacements (£230,000), fire alarm upgrades (£108,000), toilet refurbishments (£400,000), boiler replacements (£250,000) and roof renewals (£745,000). Significant proposed investments within these categories include:
- Coed-y-Lan Primary – removal of dining centre and provision of new kitchen (£80,000).
- Treorchy Comprehensive – refurbishment of kitchen (£100,000).
- Alaw Primary – replacement of external walkway (£120,000).
- Mountain Ash Comprehensive – replacement windows (£50,000).
- Ferndale Community School – changing room refurbishment (£60,000) and creation of a hygiene room (£50,000)
- Ysgol Llanhari – new safe route to Early Years block (£70,000) and replacement roof, phase 2 (£250,000).
- YGG Evan James – remodelling of classrooms (£50,000).
- St Margaret’s RC Primary – creation of a hygiene room (£15,000).
- Cwmclydach Primary – replacement roof, phase 2 (£175,000).
- Llantrisant Primary – replacement roof, phase 3 (£150,000).
- Treorchy Comprehensive – replacement roof (£100,000).
In addition, electrical rewiring would take place at five schools (Coed-y-Lan Primary, Llanharry Primary, Llwydcoed Primary, Tref-y-Rhug Primary and Trehopcyn Primary), fire alarm upgrades at three schools (Bryncelynnog Comprehensive, Treorchy Comprehensive and YGG Ynyswen) and toilet refurbishments at eight schools (Gwaunmiskin Primary, Miskin Primary, Mountain Ash Comprehensive, SS Gabriel & Raphael RC Primary, Ton Pentre Infants, Ysgol Llanhari and YGG Abercynon).
Please note, the above is not an exhaustive list of works within the proposed capital programme – which is available in full as part of Thursday’s report to Cabinet. Members could agree the proposals during the meeting, which would allow the school improvements to take place during 2021/22.
Councillor Joy Rosser, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Inclusion Services, said: “Ahead of each financial year, the Council agrees an Education Capital Programme to maintain and enhance the school estate, with targeted investment for the needs of individual schools. A significant proportion of this work then takes place over the summer holiday, with staff and pupils benefitting when they return to school in September.
“The Capital Programme is an important part of the Council’s wider School Modernisation Programme and is separate to our joint 21st Century Schools Programme with Welsh Government – which has a strong track record of investing in the very best facilities for our young people. The new £10.2m Hirwaun Primary School was delivered at the end of 2020, with exciting plans for YGG Aberdar, Ysgol Rhydywaun, Ffynnon Taf Primary and a series of schemes across the Greater Pontypridd area planned for the near future.
“I’m pleased that next year’s Capital Programme has been allocated £7.17m by Full Council, which will make a significant difference to our schools and help them prepare for the new Curriculum for Wales. Cabinet Members could choose to agree the proposals at Thursday’s meeting, which would enable the improvements to be delivered in the financial year starting April 1, 2021.”
Posted on 22/03/2021