Car sticker plan to save Welshpool sixth form

Campaigners fighting to save Welshpool High School's sixth form from closure plan to hand out hundreds of car stickers to drum up support, it has emerged.

Councillors in Welshpool want to print up to 1,000 stickers saying "Save Welshpool High School Sixth Form" as part of their battle against county education closure proposals.

Members of Welshpool Town Council are expected to discuss a plan of action at a meeting tomorrow night.

It comes weeks after a public consultation on the future of all 13 secondary schools in Powys was launched.

The county council has revealed plans to radically transform secondary education in Powys, which could result in the closure of some sixth forms. The proposals include the possibility of merging some sixth forms and relocating others to Coleg Powys sites.

Robert Robinson, town clerk for Welshpool, said councillors had come up with a suggestion to make car stickers and to launch a petition.

He said: "We want to keep the sixth form at Welshpool High School open and see no reason to change from the current situation.

"The sixth form adds value to Welshpool High School and without it an effect will be felt on the 11 to 16 year olds.

"We have come up with a suggestion of launching a petition to save the sixth form, and we also plan to print about 1,000 car stickers with the line that we want to save the sixth form on.

"The finance and general purposes committee has already recommended that we prepare them at a cost of £100 but a full decision now rests with the full council on Wednesday."

He said that the council would also demonstrate outside Powys County Council's offices in Llandrindod Wells when the committee making the decision met.

Powys County Council is holding consultation meetings at all secondary schools and Coleg Powys campuses up until May.

Councillor David Jones, Powys County Council board member for schools, said: "The future of our secondary and post-16 education is of vital importance.

"We urge parents, pupils, governors and the public across the county to get involved and have their say."

By Anwen Evans