PARENTS WILL GET SAY ON SCHOOL

26 August 2005

Staff and parents at a Swansea school earmarked for closure will get a chance to have their say on the proposals. The council cabinet agreed a five-week consultation period for plans to close Dylan Thomas school and create a new £20-million super school at Bishop Gore comprehensive. The plans are part of the cabinet's controversial proposals to revamp education in the county. Consultations will begin on October 17.

Cabinet member for education Mike Day said: "We have already had an extensive round of consultations on the closure of Dylan Thomas school.

"As there is a change from the original proposal, the council wants to consult on the change before cabinet makes any final decision on its position."

The cost of the reorganisation has spiralled from initial estimates of £7 million. The new proposal will see £20 million spent rebuilding and refitting Bishop Gore.

Councillor Day said: "Parents, teachers and other interested groups have always told us that we should put the interests of pupils first and ensure that our schools are fit for the 21st century.

"Those are their priorities and the proposals we are looking at demonstrate that they are our priorities too."

If the proposals get the final go-ahead work on the new super-school will not finish until 2010.

Dereck Roberts, chairman of the board of governors at Dylan Thomas, said: "I'm concerned there's a period when both schools will be open.

"This is going to last for up to four or five years."