Call to consider business case for new specialist school ‘premature’

A call to consider developing a business case to build a new specialist school in Monmouthshire as part of the council’s 21st Century Schools Programme has been dismissed as “premature.”

Councillor Dimitri Batrouni said it was vital the council starts developing specialist provision for pupils with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties and Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), following the authority’s decision to close Mounton House School in 2020.

The leader of the council’s Labour group put forward a motion before a full council meeting on Thursday “to start to develop a business case to build a new specialist school.”

Council leader, Cllr Peter Fox, said proposals for future provision would be brought forward “in due course” – but he said it would be “premature” at this stage to add to the authority’s 21st Century Schools Programme.

“We will go on to develop a new provision which will be far wider than what is provided in Mounton House and which can address the very wide needs of ASD and other profound learning difficulties,” Cllr Fox added.

Councillor Batrouni’s motion won the backing of the leader of the council’s Independent group, Cllr Frances Taylor, who said it was vital the authority set out a long-term plan “as a matter of urgency.”

Councillor Tudor Thomas stressed the authority needed “a long-term plan”, saying he did not know of any other in Wales without a specialist school.

Conservative members Louise Brown (Shirenewton ward) and David Dovey (St. Kingsmark) also gave their backing to the motion, saying it was important to get the issue on the agenda.

However Liberal Democrat councillor Jez Becker, St. Mary’s ward, said the council needed to first find the solution to meeting the requirements of pupils with additional needs, before developing provision.

And Conservative councillor Bob Greenland said the motion was a case of “putting the cart before the horse,” adding that council officers will draw up proposals to be considered.

The motion was defeated, with 13 councillors voting in favour and 21 against.

At a meeting on Wednesday, Monmouthshire council’s cabinet voted to close Mounton House School at the end of August next year, despite significant opposition.