Caerphilly council appeals for emergency funding over Cwmcarn school

5:53pm Tuesday 19th March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Maria Williams

CAERPHILLY council said tonight it is appealing to the Welsh Government for emergency funding to help address major asbestos problems at Cwmcarn High School.

A council statement released a few minutes ago said: "The findings of a new report, commissioned by the school leadership, reveals a long list of works needed to address the major asbestos contamination at the site before pupils and staff can safely return to Cwmcarn."

Cllr Rhianon Passmore, CCBC cabinet member for education said: "Further to our ongoing discussions with Welsh Government, I am writing to the Minister for Education and Skills to appeal for appropriate funds to help us resolve this issue as a matter of urgency.

“The management report, undertaken by asbestos specialists Ensafe, highlights a catalogue of asbestos removal and remediation works totalling more that £1million, as well as other much-needed structural improvements which could raise the cost to around £1.5million.

“The council and the whole school community are united in our desire to agree a way forward in the best interests of all concerned. We took a very difficult decision to temporarily close the school back in October 2012, but the scale and cost of the asbestos works needed to make the school safe vindicates our decision to protect the health and wellbeing of the pupils and staff.” The authority says it is now considering the report and analysing the estimated costings. Members will be asked to agree a way forward in the near future.

Comments(11)

rlewis says...
6:04pm Tue 19 Mar 13

We should have been reading this headline last October.

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isobel57 says...
6:16pm Tue 19 Mar 13

At last a positive step forward, this seems far more constructive than the previous statements. Let's hope we now have a speedy and supportive response from The Welsh Government. Am delighted to read that the Council is now united with us all to agree the best way forward let us hope that the council agrees with us what that way forward is. We want to return to Cwmcarn as soon as possible and need work started so that we can do so. Shame that the request wasn't made sooner though but better late than never! This is so much better and more encouraging than the previous statements that have been released. Let's hope that no more reports are necessary and remedial work can begin.

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michelle1976 says...
6:27pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Why oh why was this not the case last October. Absolutely agree this is a positive step forward but I have to say my faith and trust in CCBC is concerning and their new found quickness in being united with our yearning to be back in our home school makes me supicious. None the less lets hope the Welsh Assembly backs Cwmcarn and provides the funds necessary to get us home.THE FIGHT CONTINUES!!!!

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lisann says...
6:29pm Tue 19 Mar 13

yes agree with you isobel57, I just hope as you do that this does not drag on anymore, pupil numbers are decreasing and we need to know one way or another if and when we will be returning. I thought in the report works can begin alongside the re-occupation. not that work had to be done before re-occupation?? and the £1 million is not solely for asbestos works.. They've just wasted £1.4 million on transporting the entire school to Ebbw Vale!

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lisann says...
6:40pm Tue 19 Mar 13

If only Cwmcarn was located closer to Caerphilly, we wouldn't need to ask the Welsh Government for any sort of funding then...

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isobel57 says...
7:22pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Perhaps we should all contact the
Welsh Government now and ask them to support our return to Cwmcarn as soon as possible. I hope they act more speedily than CCBC have in the last months it has been delay after delay. However it has to be said that the last time CCBC acted quickly it was a disaster for us! Some work has to be done before we return but will only take 28days the rest can be done when we are home with the use of Porta Cabins so it is important that the Welsh Government act quickly and in our favour. We are a family, we need to go home!

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Jkke16 says...
7:32pm Tue 19 Mar 13

Although I sympathise with the pupils, staff, patents and other stakeholders of CHS I think the finger of blame being pointed at CCBC is a little unfair.

Firstly they acted on sound H+S advice that potentially could effect the wellbeing of the school population. The governors seemed a little dismissive about the issue.

Secondly I think they are working above the guidelines to support the school in this testing issue. A 'Foundation' school is technically owned and therefore should be maintained by the governing body. This includes ensuring everyone's safety and maintaining the facilities.

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isobel57 says...
7:50pm Tue 19 Mar 13

The Governors have never been dismissive of the issue and CCBC acted on the advice of their consultant. This advice has been challenged by the Health and Safety Executive and another Consultant both of whom suggest that the site can be reoccupied. Yes it is a foundation school and the Governors do have a duty to ensure that the site is maintained but the funding comes from the council who also have a duty to carry out maintenance work at the site. Incidentally the funding the school receives is very low.

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SaveCwmcarn says...
9:15pm Tue 19 Mar 13

We are please with this move from Caerphilly County Borough Council and the move for the language used today by the Borough appears more co-operative.

As supporters all we have asked for is communication, co-operation and consideration.

I hope this is not a false dawn, but instead the start of seeing Cwmcarn High School restored to its rightful place in the heart of the community; and ready to serve its pupils and future generations long into the 21st Century.

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KarmaSuitsYa says...
11:55am Wed 20 Mar 13

Dear Council,

First of all, I'd like to say that CCBC sounds too much like CBBC, and it makes me chuckle everytime I read it. Images of Upsy Daisy and Iggle Piggle abound.

Secondly, what do you need funds for? You already have a large pool of unemployed labour we already pay for. Here's what you do. Pick up the phone to the DWP and tell them you want volunteers, to do something constructive for their community and earn their keep. I'm not talking about the enforced labour that I understand has been recently tried, at a reasonable £8/hr, most claimants can easily do 10-20 hours a week for what they take. Then from those volunteers, you pick, say a hundred, of the brightest, best, most capable and responsible, (100x10-20=bucketloa
ds of weekly man hours), give them a week's intensive training in asbestos management, and you put them to work on a 3 shift rota, until the job is done. The Council can supply the supervision and handle the waste disposal.

If you were feeling especially magnanimous, then you may even consider rewarding the hardworking individuals upon completion with say a small cash bonus perhaps, (on top of their benefits, of course), or maybe a training grant, ooh, ooh, or what about one of those shiny new laptops some of your council friends have lying around somewhere? What happened to those? I reckon you could get 100 suitable unemployed to volunteer, simply to get out of the house and grab themselves a free computer.

Everyone's a winner!

What was so hard about that?

Regards,
KSY

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sillybilly43 says...
5:24pm Wed 20 Mar 13

KSY

Luv it! What a smart post lol
As for getting the unemployed off their backside for £8 per hour,,well mmmmmm, Not to sure they would get out of bed for that lol

Equivilant to £320 per week.. Would that impact on Housing benefit, and Council tax exemptions they get?

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