Latest news with #MountainAshComprehensiveSchool
Wales Online
03-07-2025
- Business
- Wales Online
Welsh council's plan to cut carbon emissions by 141 tonnes and save £194k a year
Welsh council's plan to cut carbon emissions by 141 tonnes and save £194k a year The proposed £1.5m programme for 2025/2026 in RCT is due to be considered by council's cabinet soon (Image: Matthew Horwood ) Carbon reduction plans for next year could reduce Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) Council's carbon emissions by more than 140 tonnes and save the authority more than £194,000 a year, a report says. The proposed £1.5m carbon reduction programme of works for 2025-26 is included in a report going to RCT Council's climate change cabinet sub-committee on Thursday, July 3 and it says the programme could reduce the council's energy consumption by 938,127 kWh (kilowatt-hours) reducing carbon emissions by a further 141.1 tonnes. This would make annual energy savings of £194,300 with an average payback period of less than 7.7 years, it adds. Similar to previous years the two main themes for investment in this proposed programme are to replace lighting with LED lights and install additional solar panels. In terms of schools the programme includes LED lighting replacement schemes at Glenboi Primary School, Mountain Ash Comprehensive School, Parc Lewis Primary School, Penderyn Primary School, YG Garth Olwg, YGG Evan James, Dolau, Ynysboeth Primary School, Brynnau Primary School, YGG Bronllwyn, Ferndale Community School, and Ysgol Nantgwyn. Huge solar farm covering 38 fields planned for Pontypridd Article continues below It also includes solar installations at Abercynon Primary School, Buarth-y-Capel Special School, Ferndale Community School, Mountain Ash Comprehensive School, and St John the Baptist High School. Heating, hot water, and air handling systems works for Bryncelynnog Comprehensive School and Treorchy Comprehensive School are included. LED lighting replacement schemes for other buildings include Blaencwm Community Centre, Trallwn Community Centre, Ynysybwl Community Centre, Model House, Pantygraigwen Community Centre, Penygawsi Community Centre, Southgate Park pavilion, Rhydfelin EYC, and Rhondda Fach Leisure Centre. To get all the latest news about Welsh politics, health and education, sign up to our Wales Matters newsletter. Solar installations include Capel Farm Resource Centre, Glyntaff Bungalow, Pontyclun Library, Hawthorn pool and youth centre, and Aberdare Park nurseries. Heating, hot water, and air handling systems works include the Sobell sports centre, Ty Elai, and Hawthorn pool and youth centre. Water conservation works include Hawthorn pool and youth centre and Bronwydd pool. There will also be a small number of projects that did not progress in the previous year due to technical or/and commercial reasons which will cost £221,500, reduce 38.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions, and save £43,050 a year with an average payback period of 5.1 years. LED works carried forward include Rhondda Heritage Park, the Parc and Dare Theatre, and Rhondda Sports Centre. Various water conservation works are included as is solar for the Sobell pool and heating and ventilation works at Llantrisant Leisure Centre. Article continues below
Wales Online
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Wales Online
Plan which could see students moved to another school to be considered by Welsh Government
Plan which could see students moved to another school to be considered by Welsh Government RCT Council is proposing the closure of Mountain Ash Comprehensive's sixth form and moving pupils to Aberdare Community School Mountain Ash Comprehensive School's sixth form is set to close following a decision by RCT Council's cabinet (Image: Media Wales ) Plans to close the sixth form at a valleys school will now be considered by Welsh Government. The proposals are to close the sixth form at Mountain Ash Comprehensive School with pupils transferring to Aberdare Community School by no later than September 2026. It follows concerns raised by the school's governing body over the viability and future sustainability of the sixth form at the school. The council has said that the sixth form is inefficient, the curriculum choice for many pupils is restricted and class sizes are too small and that valuable education funds provided to educate pre-16 pupils are being redirected at post-16 pupils, to subsidise the funding shortfall that results from small class sizes. The closure would mean no new year 12 sixth form pupils would be admitted in September 2025 and would see the catchment area for post 16 education at Mountain Ash Comprehensive moved to Aberdare Community School. Under Section 50 of the School Standards and Organisation (Wales) Act 2013, proposals that affect sixth form education require approval by Welsh ministers RCT must notify Welsh ministers within 35 days of the end of the statutory notice period and forward to them copies of any objections along with an objection report. Welsh Government ministers will then decide whether to proceed with the proposal, amend the proposal or not proceed with the proposal. To get all the latest on politics, education, health and other Welsh issues, sign up to our Wales Matters newsletter. Article continues below Once Welsh Ministers make a decision on the proposal there will be a report to cabinet outlining the outcome. In November 2024, cabinet agreed to formally consult on the proposals and in February 2025 cabinet agreed to move to the next stage of the process and publish the statutory notice. This was published on March 4 which saw the start of the objection period which ran until April 3 and saw to objections submitted. A council report says there would be no capital funding implications and any revenue implications including Mountain Ash Comprehensive School's delegated budget and any potential increases in home to school transport costs would be identified as the proposal is developed. It says RCT has a statutory duty to maintain the efficiency and effectiveness of provision to ensure that all schools are well placed to deliver high quality education that meets the needs of the community and makes best use of public funding. It adds: 'The concern that the governing body of Mountain Ash Comprehensive School have regarding the viability and future sustainability of the sixth form provision at the school are justified. 'The delivery of post-16 education is currently inefficient, the curriculum choice for many pupils is restricted and class sizes are too small. 'Valuable education funds provided to educate pre-16 pupils are being redirected at post-16 pupils, to subsidise the funding shortfall that results from small class sizes. 'Despite the school's best efforts to work in partnership with neighbouring schools in the Cynon Valley post-16 consortium, the post-16 offer across three schools remains fragmented, resulting in lost study time, cost, and travel times.' Article continues below
