Two more Mid Wales schools discussed over transport subsidies
Reports on two further schools who breached a policy on subsidising home to school transport for pupils outside their catchment have been discussed by a council.
Last year, following the discovery Llanfyllin High School had spent £500,000 on subsidising transport for pupils, two further schools were found not to be complying with the councils 5.2 regulation.
Four Llanfyllin councillors were suspended over the matter, and last week were cleared by an Ombudsman.
Councillor Peter Lewis, one of the governors, called for the other schools involved to be dealt with in the same manner.
At a Powys County Council cabinet meeting earlier this week, members saw investigation reports of breaches at Llanidloes High School and Machynlleth's Bro Hyddgen High School.
The breaches came to light following the Llanfyllin saga, and it was found between 2011/12 and 2015/16, Llanidloes had spent just over £62,000 of their delegated funds on transport.
The cabinet had previously heard that a new headteacher had taken over, and was not aware of the breach.
When she became aware, she notified the council, and a report into the breach was commissioned.
With Bro Hyddgen, it was explained in October at a Powys cabinet meeting that the school are "allowed to use the 14th and 19th Pathways grant to transport pupils somewhere where alternative subjects are available."
Cabinet member for finance at the time, Wynne Jones, said the school had introduced a £60 charge, but it did not meet the requirements of the council's scheme, and they would have to be compliant by September 2018.
In a private session in Tuesday's cabinet, members heard both schools have until September 2018 to comply with the regulations and during the transition period the charges for transport will be in line with the council's vacant seat scheme, and from September 2018, it will be on a full cost recovery basis.
Monthly reports will be required to be sent by the governors to the schools finance manager, and the school will use the council's financial system as its primary accounting system.
Further to this both schools will have to provide documentary evidence to show they are complying with the procedures.
Minutes following the meeting said the decisions have been made "to ensure that appropriate action (if any) is taken by PCC upon receipt of the investigation report and to ensure equality of treatment with Llanfyllin High School."
