Flintshire defers Catholic super-school decision after legal challenge over consultation process
A final decison on Flintshire’s Catholic super-school plans has been deferred following legal advice.
The announcement that Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting would be deferred came the same day the authority abandoned another meeting after errors and inconsistencies were found in the latest finance document related to the project.
Last week the Governors of St David’s Catholic Primary School in Mold – one of four under threat under the proposals – issued a legal letter via solicitors Addleshaw Goddard detailing a number of concerns they had about the consultation process, financing and providsion of services such as school transport and support for children with additional learning needs.
In a statement released at 4.55pm on Monday, Flintshire County Council said it was postponing a decision on the super school plans and the separate Saltney School amalgamation plans – affecting Saltney Wood and Saltney Ferry schools.
“Late last week, after the publication of the meeting papers, the Council received a legal challenge in relation to the Catholic proposal which has raised concerns about aspects of the consultation process,” said the statement.
“These concerns could also have a bearing on the Saltney schools’ consultation. The council, whilst considering this challenge, sought its own legal advice which has been received today.
“It now needs additional time to review and address the matters raised before a final decision is made on both proposals.”
The Leader of Flintshire County Council, Cllr Dave Hughes, said: “We recognise this proposal has generated significant interest and strong views within our school communities.
“Following the legal challenge, we believe it is important to take the necessary time to carefully consider the concerns that have been raised regarding the consultation process.
“Deferring the decision will allow us to review these concerns thoroughly and ensure that Cabinet members have the fullest information available before determining the next steps.”
Flintshire County Council and the Diocese of Wrexham plans to build a super-school in Flint for pupils aged 3-18 while closing Catholic primary schools at St David’s in Mold, St Anthony’s in Saltney, St Mary’s in Flint plus St Richard Gwyn High School.
Separately a special meeting of Flintshire County Council’s Corporate Resources Overview and Scrutiny Committee (CROSC) was abandoned on Monday after financial information about the project was found to be inconsistent.
The problems concerned a true cost summary document – a simple financial overview requested via a notice of motion by Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Andrew Parkhurst.
It’s purpose was supposed to show the public in simple terms what the Catholic super-school project would cost.
But there was confusion as councillors reviewed the summary and found different figures than had previously been reported.
The capital project is due to cost £55.5 million – with Welsh Government funding 85% and Flintshire Council finding 15% – but the summary presented the capital project cost as just £55m.
The document also inflated the estimated primary budget allocation by just over £450,000 and the secondary funding allocation by around £1.25m compared to data reported in October 2025.
Dring thespecial meeting Cllr Alasdair Ibbotson, of Flintshire People’s Voice, highlighted the fact the report only included school transport costs for year one of £212,000 – despite an admission later on that the authority’s best estimate for ongoing school transport costs is closer to £93,000pa.
“It is, at this moment, quite simple to say it is an error,” responded Cabinet Member for Finance and Social Value Cllr Paul Johnson.
Liberal Democrat Cllr David Coggins Cogan also raised concerns.
“The notice of motion which brought this about required future reports on school reorganisation or major school investment to include a one‑page summary which sets out, in plain English, the costs.
“It’s meant for the public, for people to understand it at home. I have to commend the Cabinet Member for Finance because he has accepted that this does not meet the criteria of the notice of motion.
“If I’m going to lose the argument and this reorganisation goes ahead, I at least want to know what I’ve lost the argument on, not that we had a meeting and we got lost in the weeds.”
Cabinet member for Transformation, Growth and Place Cllr Richard Jones pushed back against the criticism.
“To be perfectly honest, I wouldn’t have been saying that the numbers are incorrect,” he said. “I’m trying in this meeting to take into consideration what Councillor Coggins Cogan and Councillor Ibbotson have said.
“It’s trying to find this middle ground so that we can, we can end this meeting with an agreement on what should be there and what will satisfy both views.”
Councillors were unable to find that consensus however- leading to the meeting being adjourned while accurate figures are compiled.
“This meeting had to be abandoned because the numbers simply did not stack up,” said Cllr Parkhurst. “Councillors were being asked to consider a project costing tens of millions of pounds yet the figures in the report were inconsistent.
“When discrepancies of more than £10 million appear in the financial information presented to councillors, it completely undermines confidence in the process.”
Cllr David Coggins Cogan added: “For councillors to make a decision of this magnitude we all need to be working from the same set of figures. That patently was not happening today.
“This meeting had been called to establish the true cost of the scheme. The fact that it had to be abandoned shows that the council still cannot provide that clarity.”
By Alec Doyle – Local Democracy Reporter
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