Ysgol Pontfadog Site: Fact Checking

The Feasibility Study relating to the future of the Ysgol Pontfadog site is now complete and the final report was published on Wednesday 28th February 2020.  At the Glyntraian Community Council (GCC) meeting on Wednesday 4th March 2020, Councillors voted by a majority of 7-1 to endorse the report’s recommendation to develop a small number of low-cost starter homes, firmly tied into a local lettings policy and with a community benefit embedded into any development, on the former school site.  Statements given at the meeting by Cllrs Chris Futcher, Merle Hunt and Jools Payne can be viewed here.

Forest School & Community Hub
The Forest School & Community Hub business plan comprehensively failed to meet the viability, feasibility and financial sustainability criteria set at the very outset of the community engagement process. As such, it did not gain the confidence of the Council. The analysis of the Forest School and Community Hub’s feasibility and viability is on page 30 of the Feasibility Study Report. You can download the report here.

Next Steps: Wrexham Council Executive Board
The Council’s recommendation is expected to be considered by Wrexham County Borough Council’s Executive Board at its meeting on Tuesday 9th June. The agenda will be displayed three working days prior to the date of the meeting on the WCBC website.

Subscribe to Our News Page
We believe it is important our residents receive accurate information regarding the Feasibility Study, the consultation process and methodology, and up to date news of progress as Wrexham Council takes forward the Council’s recommendation. We recommend subscribing to the News blog on our website. Alternatively, please contact the Clerk, Stephanie Masters, clerk@glyntraian.org.uk who will be pleased to assist with your enquiry.

We will be posting FactCheck updates on this website on a regular basis.

Scrutiny
We wish to remind all members of our community and the wider Ceiriog Valley, that Glyntraian Community Council is a publicly accountable body with a statutory obligation to publish accurate, transparent and timely information. All GCC Minutes dating back to March 2017 are available for scrutiny on this website under Council Information (or from the Clerk if prior to that date).

Council Votes to Accept Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study Recommendation

Glyntraian Community Councillors voted by a majority of 7-1 to endorse a recommendation to develop a small number of low-cost starter homes on the former Ysgol Pontfadog site in the village of Pontfadog in the Ceiriog Valley at its Council meeting last night [Wednesday 4th March].

The vote followed publication on Friday 28th February of a 38-page feasibility study and options appraisal. The report by independent community engagement consultant, Marc Roberts of Cynlas Cyf, is supported by a 58-page Appendices document. It comes eight months after the closure of the 110-year-old village primary school by Wrexham Council and six months of intense engagement with stakeholders and members of the local community.

Tasked with exploring the most viable, feasible and financially sustainable future for the site, Mr Roberts’s report concluded that affordable housing for young families, firmly tied into a local lettings policy and with a community benefit embedded into any development agreement, will best serve the wider interests of the Glyntraian community.

A postal survey of 323 households in the ward elicited an impressive 71% response rate. Affordable starter homes for young families earned the maximum highest perceived benefit score from 40% of all respondents – higher than any other option.

Cynlas Cyf, based near Caernarfon, was appointed to manage the community engagement project after a competitive tender and selection process. The project was co-funded by Glyntraian Community Council and Regional Development Agency, Cadwyn Clwyd through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme.

The meeting was attended by Wrexham Council Leader, Cllr Mark Pritchard and Cadwyn Clwyd Project Manager, Helen Williams, who both praised the integrity and quality of the process.

Glyntraian Community Council Chairman, Cllr Graham Barrow said: “We wish to thank Marc Roberts for his diligence and hard work in conducting a rigorous and thoughtful consultation. He has produced a balanced and extremely detailed report, thoroughly researched, soundly evidenced and which pays due regard to the desires of many in our community.

“The report will now be forwarded to Wrexham Council, owners of the site, for further consideration. We look forward to working closely with the Authority, potential developers and of course, Glyntraian residents in designing a scheme the village can be proud of and which duly acknowledges the much-valued history and heritage of the old school.

The Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study project received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development from the Welsh Government

Marc Roberts is a Director of Cynlas Cyf. He spent over 20 years in the WDA and Welsh Government developing and delivering several business support and regeneration programmes and was Regeneration Manager for Conwy and Denbighshire before becoming the WDA Business Connect Manager for North Wales. He was subsequently appointed the Head of Business Engagement (All Wales) for Welsh Government. He was appointed by Glyntraian Community Council and Cadwyn Clwyd in September 2019 following a successful submission after invitations to tender were posted on the Sell to Wales website

The Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study & Recommendation Report is downloadable from this website’s News blog or the dedicated Ysgol Pontfadog page. It can also be obtained in digital format by emailing the Clerk clerk@glyntraian.org.uk. A physical copy of the Report is available to view at the Pontfadog Post Office but may not be removed. The Appendices document in digital format is available upon request from the Clerk.

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Ysgol Pontfadog Recommendation Report

We are pleased to publish the Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study Report today. This Report includes the recommendation on the future use of the Ysgol Pontfadog site from community engagement consultancy, Cynlas Cyf. 

The Report and its findings will be the main item on the agenda at the next Glyntraian Community Council meeting on Wednesday the 4th March 2020. Councillors will decide whether to endorse the Report’s recommendation and approve the motion for its onward consideration by Wrexham County Borough Council’s Executive Board.

In accordance with the Council’s Standing Orders,  members of the public are entitled to attend the meeting.  Should you wish to speak at this meeting please notify the Clerk in advance.  Permission to speak at the meeting is at the discretion of the Chairman.

The Report is downloadable by clicking the link below. A physical copy of the Report will be available at the Pontfadog Post Office from Saturday morning (29th March 2020).  This should not be removed from the Post Office. The 58 page Appendices document accompanying the Report is also available to view at Pontfadog Post Office or by email from the Clerk at: clerk@glyntraian.org.uk

The project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.