QUESTIONS have been raised on the necessity of a consultation to find out the views of residents before a charity sets up an educational unit in Ebbw Vale.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Community Services scrutiny committee on Monday, February 28, Cllr John Morgan asked what progress was being made on a Community Asset Transfer of a building to educational charity, Catch22.

In November 2021 it was confirmed that Catch22 is interested in taking over either the Rassau community centre or Newtown community centre in Ebbw Vale and transform it into an independent special school for children with Additional Learning Needs (ALN).

But there are still questions on the detail that need to be answered.

Cllr John C Morgan said:

“We confirmed that Catch22 were interested in an asset transfer of either Rassau community centre or Newtown community centre.

“We have received a note they were looking at it for the provision for children with social emotional and behavioural difficulties.”

He added that a newspaper report that followed the meeting in November had included comments from the Catch22 chief executive confirming their intention to set up an ALN unit in one of the buildings.

Cllr Morgan believed that the discussion over which type of centre could be place in the buildings could have ramifications for Pen y Cwm special school as well as the River Centre learning community.

Cllr Morgan suggested that either school could be extended depending on what Catch22 wants to do.

He also said that there was also a discussion to bring in pupils from two other council areas outside of Blaenau Gwent to the eventual site.

Cllr Morgan said:

“This has completely complicated the issue.

“I was asked if there shouldn’t be a public consultation if you’re looking at putting a pupil referral unit in the centre of a built-up area such as Rassau or Newtown.”

Committee chairman, Cllr Mandy Moore pointed out that the scrutiny committee dealt with the building “not the educational purpose of it.”

Cllr Moore advised Cllr Morgan to take it up with the council’s education department and Education and Learning Scrutiny Committee.

“You can champion that cause I’m sure,” said Cllr Moore.

Catch22 already has an independent special school registered in Newport and said that it had been “approached” to look at opening a second site in the region.

The charity can trace its history back more than 230 years to The Philanthropic Society which later became The Royal Philanthropic Society.

It began working to help children after seeing homeless children begging and stealing on the streets.

It did this by opening homes where children who needed help were trained by skilled tradesmen.