More time to consider PFI school proposals
Posted on : 15 Mar 2023
Caerphilly county borough council has agreed to allow more time for discussions to take place before making a decision about two schools in the area.
Lewis School Pengam and Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni were originally built as part of a Private Finance Initiative (PFI). Although there are still 9 years left to run on the original PFI contract, the council has indicated that key benefits could be gained if the contract is terminated early.
The Leader of Council, Cllr Sean Morgan has announced that a meeting to take the final decision on the matter will be postponed from March 15th until the 19th April.
“There has been a robust process to date and I have listened to feedback from both schools and a number of local parents. This pause in the process will give all interested parties more time to fully consider the proposals and provide further views before a final decision is made,” said Cllr Morgan.
“Consultation with the schools can continue up until the middle of April providing ongoing opportunities for any further questions to be answered.”
The proposed decision to voluntarily withdraw from the PFI arrangement relates only to the provision of building maintenance, cleaning, catering and grounds maintenance services. All other aspects of teaching and learning will remain unaffected.
The matter will now be discussed at a meeting of Full Council on 19th April.