£20m invested in Clwyd South schools by Welsh Government

Member of the Senedd Ken Skates has welcomed news of further Welsh Government investment in local schools.

The Clwyd South MS raised the issue in the Senedd last week and was told there were several “exciting developments” in the pipeline in his constituency by Education Minister Jeremy Miles.

Schools including Ysgol Penycae and Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy, Cynwyd, have already benefited from the first phase of the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools programme, and there is more to come for Clwyd South – including plans for a brand new primary school in Brymbo.

On Wednesday (June 16), the Education Minister told Mr Skates: “Clwyd South benefited from a total investment of over £20m during the first wave of funding. A second wave began in 2019, involving significant further investment for the school and colleges estate in the Clwyd South area.”

He added: “There are proposed projects, including Ysgol yr Hafod (Johnstown), Brymbo and Ysgol ID Hooson (Rhos), which are exciting developments, I think. It amounts to about £12m-worth of investment, with an intervention rate from the Welsh Government of around 65%, generally speaking. So, I think there are very exciting opportunities in his part of the world, and we both share a sense of opportunity and excitement about the investment.”

The Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools is the biggest school modernisation programme in Wales since the 1960s. The long-term infrastructure investment project aims to improve the quality of school buildings, ensure places are available to serve local demand, reduce surplus capacity and running costs and promote sustainability.

Welcoming the news, Mr Skates said: “I’m grateful to the Minister for the information he provided and his confirmation that our area is in line for further, very significant Welsh Government in our schools, which will deliver tangible benefits for pupils.

“I visited Ysgol Penycae after the refurbishment in 2018, which created new classrooms, a new school hall, improved kitchen facilities and a new play area. It looked fantastic. It was especially pleasing as the work was carried out by local company Read Construction, based in Brymbo.”

Mr Skates added: “I look forward to further updates on the plans and to hearing more about how this additional Welsh Government funding in our schools will benefit pupils.”

The Education Minister said he saw an opportunity in the years ahead to expand the number of carbon-zero schools in Wales, adding: “There’s an exciting pilot under way at the moment, and the more we can do to contribute to meeting our climate change goals the better.”