Council Gives Further Consideration To Mynydd Cynffig Relocation

A proposal to relocate Mynydd Cynffig Primary School to the same site as Cynffig Comprehensive School is to be looked at again following a mixed response from pupils, parents and local residents in Kenfig Hill. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After conducting a six-week public consultation over the possible relocation, cabinet members from Bridgend County Borough Council have agreed to give further consideration to the pros and cons of the move, and also re-evaluate an alternative option which would involve developing the junior school site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mynydd Cynffig Primary School was formed in 2015 after the former infant and junior schools amalgamated, and since then the school has been operating on split sites. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council had proposed bringing the primary school together on to a site next to Cynffig Comprehensive School from September 2018 and also enlarging it to become a two-form entry school with 60 nursery places. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

But, after a petition was put together against the proposal, the council has agreed to re-evaluate its options. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration, said: “We appreciate that this is an emotive issue in the local community with strong feeling both in support of, and against, the primary school’s proposed relocation. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“So we want to give further consideration to the possibility of developing the junior site, before making a final decision.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Any development at the junior school site would depend on the relocation of the allotment gardens and playground, and there are also more complex and difficult highways issues than would be involved in relocating the school to the Cynffig site. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The comprehensive school currently has 416 surplus places, so there is sufficient space there for the primary school to be relocated, but still remain as a separate school. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If the primary school was to be relocated, pupils would be segregated from the older children in the secondary school, while start and finish times would be staggered. There would also be separate yards and lunch halls, so the primary school pupils would be very much apart from the older children. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Smith added: “We are extremely keen to find an appropriate solution, and will be providing further updates after a follow-up report has been presented to Cabinet Members at the end of February.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The public consultation over the proposed relocation included an online survey as well as drop-in sessions at both the primary and secondary school where parents and local residents could view architects’ drawings and ask questions. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The full consultation report can be requested by emailing ellen.franks@bridgend.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​