March date for Mid Wales schools facing axe

Powys County Council's cabinet has agreed to move ahead with a plan to close three of the 12 secondary schools as part of cost-cutting measures. However, no decisions have yet been taken.

The recommendations also include a proposal to create a Welsh medium secondary school and cut the number of sixth forms to six. Powys has secondary schools in Newtown (along with the John Beddoes Campus in Presteigne), Llanfyllin, Llanfair Caereinion, Welshpool, Llanidloes, Machynlleth, Llandrindod Wells, Builth Wells, Gwernyfed, Crickhowell, Brecon and Ystradgynlais.

The council's deputy leader, Wynne Jones, said the review would need to act quickly and asked cabinet member for education, Arwel Jones, how long before firm proposals would be put forward.

The deputy leader said: "It has caused anxiety among staff and parents so I think it is important we proceed as quickly as we can provided we do this safely and properly. . . how long before we can bring forward concrete proposals?"

Councillor Arwel Jones said: "We are hoping to bring apaper back to cabinet in March with initial areas we would be looking at. At the moment we have no preference and no names of schools in mind."

Pressed on whether education would be put before finance as part of the review, Councillor Arwel Jones said: "It is a balance between educational provision and the finance we have got. "

Councillor David Jones, deputy leader of the Powys Independent Alliance, said the council would need to ensure that schools were not left in limbo during the process, leading to staff leaving their posts.

He said: "If teachers or staff think their job is on the line and they leave, there will be the job of keeping that school going. We could find ourselves having to bring supply teachers in to keep a school going for the last 12 months."