SEVEN Denbighshire schools are under threat of closure under secret plans revealed today.
The plans form part of Denbighshire County Council’s Modernising Education agenda agreed by cabinet members in January 2009.
Up to 25 schools across Denbighshire could face closure or merger as the council seeks to make its schooling more cost effective.
The schools currently under threat are: Ysgol Betws Gwerfil Goch, Ysgol Bro Elwern, Ysgol Caer Drewyn, Ysgol Carrog, Ysgol Glyndyfrdwy, Ysgol Llandrillo and Ysgol Maes Hyfryd.
Parents have NOT yet been informed on the plans, despite the consultation period starting over a week ago - on October 4.
The consultation document says the county council needs to invest in excess of £200 million in the coming months in order to improve all existing schools and meet the 'definition of a 21st century school'.
"We are now in the consultation period, but no-one is being consulted, parents don't even know this is happening," said a worried parent from the Corwen area.
But it’s not only schools in the Edeyrnion (Dee Valley) area that are under threat.
The Free Press reported back in January 2009 that 25 primary schools in Denbighshire, with less than 80 pupils, were exposed to closure or merger.
But councillors were reassured there was no rush to close schools.
In January, 2009, Mohammed Mehmet, who at the time was director of lifelong learning, highlighted the need to improve primary education in Ruthin, described as unsatisfactory and bilingualism in schools raised problems.
“There is a need to address primary education in Ruthin, there are issues all over the county to be addressed, we need proposals to come which will allow us to take things forward and plan it properly,” said Mr Mehmet.
The Welsh Assembly said DCC would not attract funding for the £200 million needed, unless the issue of empty school places was 'dealt with'.
Within the consultation documents, DCC includes the full time pupil numbers in the seven schools from 2006 - 2010.
Five show a marked decrease in school pupils.
The initial stage of the consultation will run until December 15, following that will be a report to DCC cabinet in January 2011.
*For more on this story see this week's Free Press.