tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post2568339138419040815..comments2024-03-27T18:54:46.951+00:00Comments on Syniadau :: The Blog: An end in sight for the Treganna SagaSyniadauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13876017048168055247noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-16343894744179889082010-09-27T17:02:39.921+01:002010-09-27T17:02:39.921+01:00Cibwr, Yes I agree. But the response is to say th...Cibwr, Yes I agree. But the response is to say that Lansdowne were offered a brand new building first, but preferred to stay where they are. You can't eat your cake and have it. <br /><br />-<br /><br />Anon, It would be nice to think that, but I'm not sure we can say that yet. But what is happening is that more and more parents in Cardiff want a WM education for their children. Cardiff's <b>biggest</b> problem is that they still haven't surveyed the need, and until they do they are always on the back foot ... firefighting to provide the necessary accommodation at the last moment rather than giving themselves two or three extra years breathing space to plan properly. If they did this, it would put an end to different groups throwing out different projections. At present WM accounts for something like 12% and Cardiff are planning for 20%. But I'm sure that the current demand—if it were surveyed—is likely to be around 35% or 40% if a WM school is available locally, rather than a car or bus journey away.MHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09329059309196746446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-66182953584396941652010-09-27T17:01:26.723+01:002010-09-27T17:01:26.723+01:00I'm sorry not to have replied sooner, and hope...I'm sorry not to have replied sooner, and hope someone will still be reading the thread.<br /><br />Dylan, Although there are conflicting signals, I think that the scheme will go ahead as planned. As for Carwyn Jones, the <b>tone</b> of what he said in the third video, and in particular the way he emphasized the detached "eto" appeared to me to convey the impression that he and his government wanted to be seen to have nothing to with the plan, but will deal with it (and deal with it positively) when they get it. He has to say this, because his line when he refused the closure of Lansdowne was that it was entirely up to Cardiff to come up with a new plan. But I think it's almost certain that this has been talked about in discussions at some level and has been agreed as the way Labour want to move forward. <br /><br />The critical thing that leads me to think this is the reaction of the three local Labour councillors. In their statement to the <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/cardiff/2010/sep/21/new-welsh-medium-school-ysgol-treganna-proposals-canton-schools-reorganisation" rel="nofollow">Guardian</a> they said:<br /><br /><i>"We are extremely pleased that the council is now proceeding with proposals to build a new three form entry Welsh-medium school (plus a nursery) on a site we identified. It just goes to show that involving local councillors in the decision making process can deliver results for our community."<br /><br />" ... We are happy to work with the Council on these new proposals, and only wish that they had considered our concerns and suggestions at an earlier stage."</i><br /><br />And <a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education-news/2010/09/22/cautious-welcome-to-new-cardiff-welsh-medium-primary-school-plan-91466-27315111/" rel="nofollow">WalesOnline</a> adds:<br /><br /><i>"We are extremely pleased that the council is now proceeding with proposals to build a new school on a site we identified," they said.<br /><br />"Canton councillors opposed the previous plans to close Lansdowne Primary School and move Ysgol Treganna onto the site, however, [we] have always supported the building of a new Welsh-medium school."</i><br /><br />When someone says that they were responsible for this new plan and that a new school on this site was their idea all along, that's a pretty clear indication of their support ... even though I can't find anything to suggest this was their idea. It also fits in with the "big picture" narrative that Labour made it a local election issue and promised that no school would be closed, so Carwyn was merely implementing at Assembly level what his colleagues at Council level were defeated on. It's a blatant misuse of the separation of power ... but that's what Labour do!<br /><br />As for Rhodri Morgan, I just think he's being his usual mischievous self. He's playing the "innocent ignoramous" card. It is very clear that the Welsh Government are going to provide capital funding for schools, and Local Authorities all over Wales are putting together their bids for their share of it. As one example, Wrexham's new school is going to be 70% funded by the government, 30% by Wrexham. New Treganna is roughly the same split. As another example, Torfaen are <a href="http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/education-news/2010/09/23/torfaen-plans-266m-schools-transformation-91466-27323433/" rel="nofollow">planning</a> a £226m programme of school rebuilding. OK, they won't get it, but they'll get some of it. And Cardiff will get their share of the pot too. This £6m will be part of the next round of allocations, but the downside for Cardiff is that it will be £6m less to spend on other schools.MHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09329059309196746446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-5587030505159797182010-09-25T02:19:21.334+01:002010-09-25T02:19:21.334+01:00The new plan isn't really a solution but it...The new plan isn't really a solution but it's all right. <br /><br />It seems to me that West Cardiff is experiencing that rarest of things - a language shift from English to Welsh. The sadness is that two polticians, Morgan and Patel believe that playing the ethnic/language card has any relevance in modern Wales. What Rhodri has done will for ever blemish his career.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-28211554604986611812010-09-24T22:02:53.989+01:002010-09-24T22:02:53.989+01:00And of course if you spend money on new Welsh medi...And of course if you spend money on new Welsh medium schools then you get accused of preferential treatment.... really is a lose lose situation.Cibwrhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07621705905770341542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-88811739618833268012010-09-24T09:07:12.724+01:002010-09-24T09:07:12.724+01:00A quick follow up. Here's the link for Carwyn&...A quick follow up. Here's the link for Carwyn's comments:<br />http://www.golwg360.com/UI/News/ViewNewsDetails.aspx?ID=16067<br /><br />Rhodri Morgan has also poured cold water on the plan (surprise surprise):<br />http://www.walesonline.co.uk/cardiffonline/cardiff-news/2010/09/23/rhodri-morgan-new-school-funding-not-secured-91466-27320022/Dylannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-22723285797109082152010-09-23T20:11:22.751+01:002010-09-23T20:11:22.751+01:00I was hoping that you'd post on this, MH, so t...I was hoping that you'd post on this, MH, so thanks for not disappointing me! Living in west Cardiff as I do, with a three-year old due to start school in 2011, trying to work out where he'll end up is a nightmare. From speaking to parents in Canton/Victoria Park, it seems that the council has sent children from there to Welsh-medium schools in each of Grangetown, Canton, Llandaf, Caerau and Whitchurch. Our plans to move house are at a stop until we know roughly which part of the city our school run might have to get to!<br /><br />My initial thoughts on hearing this latest announcement were much as yours:<br />i. this plan was around three years ago, and here we go again<br />ii. it would cause a huge number of surplus places in Canton schools<br />iii. it follows that this plan would sound the death knell for either Lansdowne or Radnor Road<br />iv. presumably, Cardiff would have had an unofficial go-ahead from Carwyn Jones as this plan goes contrary to WAG's policy of only approving school reorganisations if they get to grips with surplus numbers, something Leighton Andrews has been banging on about since he was appointed<br />v. the precedent set by this whole affair is very damaging for Welsh-medium education, which can only be catered for, apparently, by hugely expensive one-off decisions which go contrary to normal policies. Note that Jonathan Morgan is already using this new plan as a weapon to stop the reorganisation in Whitchurch: http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/letters-to-the-editor/south-wales-echo-letters/2010/09/23/thursday-23-september-2010-91466-27323737/<br /><br />BUT, I see in Golwg today that Carwyn Jones claims that he knows nothing of this plan. He'll consider it like any other, he says. If he follows the guidlines on this (Circular 23/02 etc) then I can only assume that he'll turn it down (as long he's happy to face the storm that would follow)Dylannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-985080357558043054.post-80011945768607202272010-09-23T10:59:18.947+01:002010-09-23T10:59:18.947+01:00Good post MH. As you point out there'll be eve...Good post MH. As you point out there'll be even more surplus places in Radnor Rd now (why, by the way, is that school, which shares the same site as the present Ysgol Treganna, never villified with words like 'crachach', 'middle class' and 'snobs' though one supposes their kids are from mostly the same socio-economic background?! - not that I want to see Radnor Rd called by such names either).<br /><br />At a time when councils across Wales - Powys and Gwynedd come instantly to mind - are closing schools because they're under capacity that Cardiff (rather Labour in WAG) are now spending millions to open a new WM school ... which is in virtually the same catchment area as WM Ysgol Pwll Coch!?<br /><br />In any case, it seems, it's worth voting Plaid if you want WM and EM schools 'cos Labour will do anything, spend millions, to resolve the situation so as they try and win back 1 council ward seat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com