Cash hopes (From Penarth Times)

Cash hopes

A PENARTH school may be set for a happy New Year thanks to a possible cash boost from the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

St Cyres Comprehensive is under the spotlight of the local authority which is considering proposals addressing additional costs of split-site schools.

St Cyres has sites in Penarth and Dinas Powys.

The distance between the sites and other factors are costing the school £250,000 per year.

But now council officials have been asked to allocate £100,000 to help St Cyres.

The two venues need extra staff to run effectively and this means twice the amount of money.

Furthermore, additional books, technical items and extra facilities are needed, making the school cost more to run than a single-site educational facility.

Vale of Glamorgan Plaid Cymru councillor Chris Franks has welcomed the news: "For too long the additional costs to schools such as St Cyres have not been properly recognised.

"The school has to overcome the challenges posed by having the Dinas Powys site more than two miles away from the Penarth buildings."

Alwyn Evans, spokesman for Penarth Plaid Cymru, said: "The two sites have different pupil bases.

If they were merged into one some children would have travel further than usual.

"As a party we will press for these matters to be dealt with as a priority for St Cyres."

He added that additional finance has been needed to help with the split site for some time and this will not change.

Due to the Christmas break, no-one was available at the school to comment.