Public meeting over Powys schools reorganisation

A public meeting has been called to discuss Powys County Council's controversial schools reorganisation programme and its effect upon children.

Concerned parents in Llanidloes fear if the high school closes, youngsters will have to travel to Newtown and miss out on after school activities.

The meeting, at 7pm tomorrow at Llanidles Community Centre, comes at a critical stage in the ongoing public consultation and has been organised by members of the Llanidloes Education Action Group (LEAG).

Joe Purches, chairman of the group and with a child at Llanidloes High School, said the school was too good to close.

He said: "It's a response to the questionnaire the council has sent out to stakeholders and is a chance to discuss the modernisation report.

"Parents do not want Llanidloes to close — it is a good school and pupils will have to travel up to one hour to go to Newtown if it does.

"This travel time will kill all the after-school clubs like orchestras and if the school closes it will also affect the future of the local primary school as parents won't move to the area."

Glyn Davies, Montgomeryshire MP, said: "People who are concerned should go to this meeting to find out the latest position.

"The event will involve very serious discussion and people will be better informed about the situation and better able to answer the questionnaires that have been sent out."

The controversial plans have been drawn up by Powys County Council and could see the closure of several secondary schools.

The LEAG was formed after the council unveiled a report identifying several options for the future of schools in the county, with all 13 high schools under review.