A discussion of the Vale of Glamorgan Council's plans to build a new school building on the site of Cowbridge Comprehensive School to accommodate almost 260 primary-aged children took place at Cowbridge Town Council meeting on Tuesday.

The project will see the secondary school expanding to educate 210 primary school pupils and 48 pre-schoolers. A total of 1,844 children will be cared for on the site.

A majority of responses during a public consultation on the proposal were not in favour, and Cowbridge town councillors voiced their disappointment that this was not heeded.

"I am appalled that for a second time the Vale Council has gone totally against what the town council and what the people of Cowbridge made absolutely clear is their wish," said Cllr Alec Trousdell.

"Let's face it, in practical terms it's never going to work, the traffic problems caused at the moment are going to multiplied when they put the extra people in there.

"There are other ways of getting around this problem, there is no empirical evidence that shows these so called 'super schools' really work and what we should be looking at is the best interests of the residents of Cowbridge and their children," he said.

The consultation closed on 23 November 2020, and the Vale Council agreed to go ahead with the proposal on 21 December 2020.

Of the total 251 individual responses received, 83 were in favour of the proposal, 163 were opposed, and 5 stated no opinion either way.

Cllr Doctor John Andrew pointed out that of the 83 supporting comments, 61 were connected in some way to Cowbridge Comprehensive School, for example as staff or governors.

"So, you could say they were going to agree anyway," said Cllr Andrew.

"The majority, 65% in fact, were not in support of this proposal. Despite this, the Vale of Glamorgan Council wants to go ahead with it.

"To be honest it's this sort of thing that gives consultation a bad name. It's why a lot of people don't bother responding because they say 'what's the point, they're going to do it anyway'."

Cllr Andrew also noted that the consultation plan was reviewed by the Vale Council's Learning and Culture Scrutiny committee on 15 October, before the public consultation ended.

"I spoke at that meeting, on behalf of the town council committee," said Cllr Andrew.

"Two of our Vale councillors, Cllr Parker and Cllr Jarvie, were on that committee. Astonishingly they said nothing, despite assurances that they could speak.

"I think we should say we stand by our previous responses and we object to the way this is being pushed through contrary to people's wishes," he said.

The Vale Council previously consulted on a proposal to increase English-medium primary capacity by establishing a 3-19 all-through school on the Cowbridge Comprehensive School site to accommodate 420 primary places with an additional 96 part time nursery places.

This would have resulted in the existing Y Bont Faen Primary School being discontinued, with all staff and pupils transferring to the all-through school.

The Vale Council then created this new proposal for Cowbridge Comprehensive that would see Y Bont Faen Primary School remain on its existing site with its existing capacity.

Cllr Geoffrey Cox, who is also a Vale of Glamorgan councillor said: "What unfortunately hasn't come out in any of the reports is the agreement I had with the leader and cabinet member that Y Bont Faen Primary School would be included in the second part of the 21st Century school strategy.

"I and many of my fellow councillors will work to make sure the maintenance of Y Bont Faen is raised."

Cllr Rhys Watkins agreed with Cllrs Trousdell and Andrew, describing the consultation as "a joke.".

"The proposal was an absolute fudge, because the Vale Council says they're still going to do it anyway," he said.

"It's crazy to risk a comprehensive school's reputation, which is listed the second-best school in Wales.

"They just want to ram this through. There's no proof there will be an influx of children and what will happen when that influx doesn't come, is that Y Bont Faen will be on the table and they'll close it, and they will have their way.

"Vale councillors for Cowbridge were present at that meeting, and they decided to sit there with their mouths closed and say nothing. Sitting on the fence achieves nothing."

Cllrs Cox, Jarvie and Parker provided a joint statement to Nub News that read:

"In November 2019 the Vale Council Education Department proposed that the capacity of Cowbridge Comprehensive School (CCS) should be increased to include a new English medium primary section of 420 pupils, with the resultant discontinuance of Ysgol Y Bont Faen (YBF) as a separate school.

"As local members we were opposed to the creation of an all through school and still are. We demanded a meeting with the Council's Leader and cabinet member for education to state forcefully our objections and insist that the proposals be changed so that YBF should continue as a separate and successful entity.

"The need for an increase in primary provision in Cowbridge is based on expert projections around population increases arising from housing developments in the area, not least on the Darren Farm site.

"Our representations resulted in the report being changed, so that a consultation would take place on the continuance of YBF as it is and a new build taking place at CCS to provide for its expansion to include a new 210 pupil primary section. This is because officers considered that the existing YBF site cannot accommodate a building large enough to house a 420 pupil school.

"The fact that it was no longer intended to abolish YBF as a separate entity was a major achievement and one which we thought would have been welcomed by those affected.

"At our meeting with the Leader and cabinet member for education, we also discussed the proposed transfer of Ysgol Iolo Morganwg to the new site on the Darren Farm development. At that time the newly vacated buildings presently housing Ysgol Iolo would be used to accommodate YBF on a temporary basis, thereby enabling the present YBF site to be redeveloped with the building of a new school.

"Unfortunately, this fact was omitted from the report to cabinet, and we have asked for this to be rectified and brought into the public domain as it would provide some certainty and reassurance around the school's future.

"We are still very concerned about the state of repair of the YBF building and the short to medium term plans for its maintenance, and continue to press for a proper realistic budget to cover this. All parties acknowledge that it is in a poor condition.

"Recent communications from interested parties (some anonymous) suggesting that we are not committed to supporting the school are totally wrong. We are still opposed to the creation of all through schools."

A link to the consultation response email can be found here .