PLANS to apply for Welsh Assembly Government funding to replace or rebuild five Monmouthshire schools have been given the go ahead by the local authority.

Monmouthshire County Council now plans to make a bid to the Assembly for cash to rebuild King Henry VIII School in Abergavenny and Chepstow Comprehensive School, and replace Caldicot School, Monmouth Comprehensive and Raglan VC Primary School at total cost of £88million.

If given the green light by the Assembly MCC would need to find a 30 percent contribution amounting to some £26.4million.

Cabinet member with responsibility for education Councillor Liz Hacket-Pain (pictured) there was no guarantee the bid would be successful and added that the question of capital funding from MCC also needed consideration.

"The Welsh Assembly changed its thinking with its 21st Century Schools initiative and the whole idea for a 21st century school is a new concept and it is exciting."

The Assembly's new 21st Century Schools initiative is a joint scheme with the Welsh Local Government Association and encourages local authorities to look at projects not on a case by case basis, but more widely to generate wide-ranging plans for investment in all of their schools, colleges and centres of learning.

Speaking at its recent launch Welsh education minister Leighton Andrews said, The 21st Century Schools initiative will be more than just a building programme. The challenge is to use the investment to raise standards, inspire both learners and teachers and be adaptable to meet the changing needs of learners in a rapidly developing economy.

"We are at the start of a long-term process and working in partnership with the WLGA we'll lay strong foundations for Wales' future."

While the cabinet plans met with broad approval there was some dissent from Abergavenny councillor, Douglas Edwards who accused the cabinet of putting Abergavenny at the end of the proposed improvement scheme.

Speaking at the meeting he asked if the list given to councillors was in order of preference, as Chepstow and Abergavenny appeared to have been "left out in the cold."

According to the report presented to councillors the first school to be replaced would be Caldicot School with Monmouth Comprehensive and Raglan VC Primary School following on with Chepstow School and King Henry VIII bringing up the rear.

After the meeting Councillor Edwards said he felt Abergavenny was always last on the list for any improvements.

"Abergavenny is once again last on the list with three other schools ahead of King Henry VIII school.

"It will take ten years before it is rebuilt. Caldicot School is the first to be replaced and this where the leader of the council lives.

"I did point this out at the council meeting but other councillors didn't like the suggestion and it was met by growls from members from south of the county."

"What are they going to do with the money from the sale of cattle market, there are areas in Abergavenny that need it.

"Any surplus money should be re-invested into Abergavenny."

Defending the policy Councillor Hacket-Pain said, "It is a four school strategy. One has to be first but hopefully it will be a rolling project, we have not put one school ahead of the other."