Education, Youth & Culture Overview & Scrutiny Committee

The committee will consider a call-in of the Cabinet's decision of 6 October 2026 on proposals to merge Catholic schools in Flintshire into a new 3-18 school. A call-in lets scrutiny members review a decision before it takes effect. No minutes have been published yet, so no outcome is recorded.

1. Why

   Seven councillors signed the call-in request, and its grounds say Cabinet was not told about a possible land swap with the Diocese that could affect who owns the new school. The request asks the committee to establish the facts and, if it finds the information material, to refer the decision back to Cabinet. A call-in lets scrutiny members review a Cabinet decision before it takes effect; the committee may accept the explanation, accept it without endorsing it, refer the decision back to the decision maker, or refer it to full Council.

   Based on the minutes, Procedure for dealing with a called in item, Enc. 2

2. Proposed

   The report recommends that Cabinet support the reorganisation of the Catholic schools and proceed to issue a statutory notice, which starts a 28-day period for objections. It proposes to merge St David's Catholic Primary School, St Mary's Catholic Primary School and St Richard Gwyn Catholic High School into a new 3-18 school from 1 September 2027, and to close St Anthony's Catholic Primary School by 31 August 2027.

   Why

   The report says 24.55% of primary places and 13.72% of secondary places are surplus, against a target of under 10%, and that the new school would have 1,185 full-time places, a net reduction of 397. The report says the proposal would be funded through the Welsh Government's Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, and the Cabinet's record of decision of 6 October shows Cabinet supported it, with an added resolution on representations from Addleshaw Goddard.

   Based on the minutes, Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme - Proposal to Modernise the Catholic School Estate, Enc. 1, Enc. 2

Written by AI from the reports on the agenda, before the minutes are published. Reports say what council officers recommend; the meeting can decide differently. Once the minutes are out, this becomes a summary of what was decided.

1. 2

   Declarations of Interest (Including Whipping Declarations)

2. 3

   Consideration of a matter referred to the Committee pursuant to the Call In arrangements

   Part of an issue followed across 3 meetings

   Papers: Procedure for dealing with a called in item
3. 4

   Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme - Proposal to Modernise the Catholic School Estate

   Part of an issue followed across 4 meetings

   Papers: Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme - Proposal to Modernise the Catholic School Estate, Enc. 1, Enc. 2

Councillors must say when they have a personal link to something being discussed, such as a job, a property or a family member. A prejudicial interest is one strong enough that the councillor usually leaves the room and takes no part.

Declarations are read from the minutes once they are published.

• Gina Maddison, Vice-ChairLabourSent apologies and a substitute
• Adele Davies-Cooke, Call In SignatoryConservativeIn attendance
• Allan Marshall, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Bill Crease, Committee MemberIndependentPresent
• Carolyn Preece, Committee MemberFlintshire People's VoicePresent
• Chris Dolphin, ObserverEagleIn attendance
• Christine Jones, ObserverLabourIn attendance
• Dave Hughes, LeaderLabourIn attendance
• Dave Mackie, Committee MemberTrue IndependentsPresent
• Dave Vernon, Committee MemberReform UKAbsent
• David Coggins Cogan, ReserveLiberal DemocratPresent as a substitute
• David Healey, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• David Richardson, Call In SignatoryReform UKIn attendance
• Fran Lister, ObserverLiberal DemocratSent apologies and a substitute
• Gladys Healey, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Glyn Banks, ObserverLabourIn attendance
• Helen Brown, Call In SignatoryReform UKIn attendance
• Ian Hodge, Committee MemberReform UKPresent
• Jason Shallcross, ObserverIndependentIn attendance
• Kristian Salkeld, Call In SignatoryReform UKIn attendance
• Linda Thomas, ObserverLabourIn attendance
• Mared Eastwood, Cabinet MemberEagleIn attendance
• Marion Bateman, ObserverReform UKIn attendance
• Mel Buckley, ReserveLabourPresent as a substitute
• Mike Peers, Call In SignatoryReform UKIn attendance
• Paul Johnson, ObserverLabourIn attendance
• Richard Jones, Deputy LeaderIndependentIn attendance
• Roz Mansell, ObserverReform UKIn attendance
• Ryan McKeown, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Sean Bibby, Committee MemberLabourPresent
• Ted Palmer, ObserverLabourIn attendance

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