English Version - Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council

Connect The community magazine for Blaenau Gwent
Winter 2009
Winter 2009
The community magazine for Blaenau Gwent
Connect
New future for education - student
Learning Zone just the start
The Learning Zone – a multi-million pound
investment project – could change the face of
learning, training and skills in Blaenau Gwent in
just a few years.
Quite simply, The Learning Zone is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to
give every one much brighter opportunities for a better life ahead.
Your Council wanted to hear the
views of local people on the design
of The Learning Zone – which
could offer post 16 education
opportunities up to university
degree level for more than 6,000
students a year.
Our vision is to
provide a state-ofthe-art
new learning
centre for all 16-19s
and 6,000 students a
year.
“
”
The Welsh Assembly Government
has awarded £4.6 million for the
preparation phase of The Learning
Zone. That means work on site
could start very soon. Bids for
match-funding from Europe are
being made.
The Learning Zone is just one
important step in a Learning
Works programme that could bring
investments totalling over £100
million to Blaenau Gwent’s biggest
regeneration site. Our vision is for
new leisure/sports and performing
arts centres as well as state-of-theart
new school buildings. Wideranging
public consultations on the
future possibilities for education
have just been announced.
Des Hillman, Leader of Blaenau
Gwent Council, said:
“The Welsh Assembly Government
has confirmed it is backing The
Learning Zone project – it will be
the first new education centre of its
kind in Wales.
“We have great ambitions for
the regeneration of the former
steelworks site. The Learning
Zone can bring together education
opportunities for 6,000 students per
year - replacing worn-out buildings
with the best modern facilities.
“But our vision is to secure
investment for more new learning
facilities – for everyone from the
youngest to the oldest including
new schools for all ages and our
special needs pupils.”
Public exhibitions of The Learning
Zone plans were held around
Blaenau Gwent. Local people can
get in touch to find out more about
The Learning Zone – and other
projects at The Works including
the £12 million restoration of the
General Offices - by contacting The
Works Project Office on Steelworks
Road, Ebbw Vale on 01495
357811.
University Institute
for Blaenau Gwent
The University Heads of the
Valleys Institute has won funding
from the Welsh Assembly
Government and the European
Union.
What is the University Heads of
the Valleys Institute?
It’s an exciting new programme
to provide better learning, training
and skills opportunities in Blaenau
Gwent and Merthyr Tydfil.
A new education partnership
is being set up between two
universities – the University of
Wales, Newport and the University
of Glamorgan – colleges, your
Council, Merthyr Tydfil Council
and the Welsh Assembly
Government’s Heads of the
Valleys Programme.
The Learning Zone at The Works
will be a key part of the university
institute project – bringing
university degree opportunities to
Blaenau Gwent.
What you said...
The Works
81% of you who know about
The Works say it will help make
Blaenau Gwent an area with
prospects.
48% of you have heard or are
aware that the 2010 National
Eisteddfod will be held at The
Works.
Pictured above: the proposed
design of the new Learning Zone
- part of the public consultation
exhibition.
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