A HUGE scheme to rebuild two major schools has thrown into doubt.
Denbighshire Council’s bid to pump millions into new buildings for Rhyl High School and Ysgol Glan Clwyd in St Asaph have been derailed because the Welsh Government has not got enough money.
Claire Armistead, headteacher at Rhyl High, said the rebuild was vital as they were operating in a 19th century school.
She said: “Our school has moved forward massively in the last 12 months and to keep moving forward we need a building that’s fit for purpose.
Ms Armistead she wanted Denbighshire Council and the Welsh Government to work closely with the school to ensure the build still takes place.
Denbighshire asked for £15.9 million to rebuild Ysgol Glan Clwyd and £24.6 million for Rhyl High and expected the Welsh Government pay 70 per cent of the building costs, but that contribution has dropped to 50 per cent.
Jackie Walley, head of modernising education in Denbighshire, said: “We are disappointed because we have been working on these plans for a couple of years, but we have to be realistic."
Rhyl town and county councillor Ian Gunning said he was “disgusted” the Welsh government had “moved the goalposts” for the project, and said Denbighshire already received one of the lowest levels of yearly funding for education in Wales.
"I would ask the Welsh Government to think again and review the Denbighshire proposals in full, in particular the urgent need for a new high school build in Rhyl. Our children and young people deserve better.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said there had been a significant reduction in the capital budget from Westminster, but all approved schools or college projects would be honoured and no projects were on hold.
“The Welsh Government has asked authorities to consider the timing and content of their proposed investments against the background of their overall strategies to secure effective and cost effective schools and the future available funding.”