Just as things are looking so positive for Rhuthun/Ruthin's new primary schools, so the tale of Ysgol Carreg Emlyn struggles on.
Carreg Emlyn is the amalgamated Ysgolion Clocaenog a Chyffylliog and is now into its third academic year as a new school. Over three years ago, Denbighshire promised a new building in Clocaenog, central to the most outlying villages of Cyffylliog itself and Derwen (the later once supported its own school of less than a dozen pupils, closed nearly 30 years ago, the pupils re-housed in Clocaenog). This has proven more difficult to deliver than anticipated in terms of finding a suitable site.
The building is still no nearer. Land opposite the village which was once earmarked for housing is the chosen location but there's currently a battle over it. Planners turned down housing on the site owing to flooding and one faction of parents, principally those who live opposite, feel flooding should now prevent any development thereabouts at all. But flooding hasn't stopped Ysgolion Rhos Street a Phenbaras in Rhuthun itself. Things had deteriorated because, in the summer of 2016, a group of residents opposed to the new school site even made an official complaint against Clocaenog community council regarding that council's conduct in connection to the favoured site.
It's fair to say that the community, usually know to be a tight one, is at loggerheads over the issue. Most parents want a new school and soon. Splitting education over two sites is detrimental, they say, and neither site is large enough. That at Clocaenog is split level and consequently there are hazards within for inattentive youngsters (not to mention that it is one of the only schools built to be split by a stream).
The latest twist, however, involves plans for a giant cesspit to be part of the development. This follows Dŵr Cymru's objections to linking the site to the sewerage network, which would cost £1.5mil plus land. The opponents call the cesspool proposals a 21st century school with a medieval sewerage system. We do like it when we hear of puns and the residents' group does not disappoint when they say that that the "children in our area are being short changed". They say that there are the risk of noxious fumes added to those of flooding.
Leaving aside the fact that this group probably doesn't want a two-storey school opposite their houses, I think I'm right in saying that much of Clocaenog alrready operates on septic tanks as there is an inadequate sewerage system in the village. Campaigners against the school want it moved elsewhere. Derwen is too distant, as is Cyffylliog. If Clocaenog is unacceptable, that leaves Clawddnewydd. Clawdd actually has mains sewers but the system is already significantly overloaded.
It seems that there will need to be some compromises.
The building is still no nearer. Land opposite the village which was once earmarked for housing is the chosen location but there's currently a battle over it. Planners turned down housing on the site owing to flooding and one faction of parents, principally those who live opposite, feel flooding should now prevent any development thereabouts at all. But flooding hasn't stopped Ysgolion Rhos Street a Phenbaras in Rhuthun itself. Things had deteriorated because, in the summer of 2016, a group of residents opposed to the new school site even made an official complaint against Clocaenog community council regarding that council's conduct in connection to the favoured site.
It's fair to say that the community, usually know to be a tight one, is at loggerheads over the issue. Most parents want a new school and soon. Splitting education over two sites is detrimental, they say, and neither site is large enough. That at Clocaenog is split level and consequently there are hazards within for inattentive youngsters (not to mention that it is one of the only schools built to be split by a stream).
The latest twist, however, involves plans for a giant cesspit to be part of the development. This follows Dŵr Cymru's objections to linking the site to the sewerage network, which would cost £1.5mil plus land. The opponents call the cesspool proposals a 21st century school with a medieval sewerage system. We do like it when we hear of puns and the residents' group does not disappoint when they say that that the "children in our area are being short changed". They say that there are the risk of noxious fumes added to those of flooding.
Leaving aside the fact that this group probably doesn't want a two-storey school opposite their houses, I think I'm right in saying that much of Clocaenog alrready operates on septic tanks as there is an inadequate sewerage system in the village. Campaigners against the school want it moved elsewhere. Derwen is too distant, as is Cyffylliog. If Clocaenog is unacceptable, that leaves Clawddnewydd. Clawdd actually has mains sewers but the system is already significantly overloaded.
It seems that there will need to be some compromises.
Tags:
Education