A NEW 1,000 student capacity English-medium sixth form centre in Cwmbran could result in redundancies for a number of staff at three secondary school centres.

Torfaen council’s cabinet approved plans for the £20million education facility, which will be built in the town centre, and operated by Coleg Gwent.

As part of the proposals, sixth form centres at Croesyceiliog School, Cwmbran High School and St Alban’s RC High School are recommended for closure ahead of the centre opening, provisionally in September 2019.

However, the final decision on the future of the sixth form centres at the three schools has not yet been approved, with the outcome set to be announced in the coming weeks.

The head of the education services, Dermot McChrystal said: “It is unmistakable that there will be the possibility of some redundancies in this, potentially a significant number of redundancies.

“Because the nature of the funding model, going from a school based local authority employment model to an FE (further education) model.

“We have a very good record in terms of supporting staff through the change processes.”

Mr McChrystal added that the number of teachers at risk remains unknown at this stage as the design process into the centre continues and awaits ministerial approval.

“We are quite confident when we get to that point we’ll be able to build on our experience we had previously and make sure that those staff who are then identified,” he said, adding that Coleg Gwent will support teachers and provide information regarding employment options.

“That was the same sort of modus operandi that was in place in Blaenau Gwent when the learning campus there was devised,” he said.

“That isn’t to take away from any change of this scale will cause anxiety and what we can’t do is guarantee is everyone who currently has a role in one of our sixth forms will necessarily have a job with the college.”

The cost of the project will be split between Torfaen council and the Welsh Government, with each party paying £10million in line with the 21st Century Schools Programme.

The location for the centre was one of the biggest issues associated to the proposal, according to John Tushingham, the head of access, engagement and performance.

“Some in favour of it being in a town centre location. Some quite rightly saying for some it may mean a long travel from where they live, particular in the north of the borough,” he said.

“It is often the case when we bring re-organisation proposals to you which involve some elements of closure that we try to put the supply of the provision as close as possible to the demand of the provision.

“Just because of the geography of this county borough, it is a fact that the vast majority of the demand is in the south.

“The further north you move it, the more you are inconveniencing people,” he said.

Mr Tushingham added that the infrastructure in Cwmbran, close to the roundabout outside the Morrisons supermarket, close to St David’s Road would need to be looked into.

“In terms of the town centre location, there’s no question that work needs to be done to the infrastructure in that part of town, particularly around the roundabout – the Morrison’s roundabout,” he said.

“We are already looking at adjusting the traffic lights for example off that roundabout, where the bus stop is as part of that master planning exercise to improve that.

“The critical bit really for this centre is it shouldn’t be seen as being on the edge of the town.”

The head of access, engagement and performance says that centre could hold up to 1,110 with projected growth in pupil numbers, but it must use the surrounding public transport provisions.

“It is possible that there will be more car users. We’re not putting a lot of car parking on the site. One of the key attractions of putting this centre where it is is the access to public transport,” he said.

“We are meeting the requirements in terms of parking and certainly in terms of the requirement for any disabled users of the site but we are not building a car park.

“The money the council is prepared to invest and the match that Welsh Government is prepared to invest should not be put into building a car park. It should be put into building an educational institution.”

Members of Torfaen council’s cabinet approved the decision to appoint the preferred contractor for the project, who submitted a bid of £1.857million to develop the centre.

Additionally, before the ministerial decision, the council has released £300,000 to cover the costs of a feasibility works and a survey to maintain the programme.

A six week consultation process will commence shortly following the decision to review the post-16 education provision in Torfaen.