Investigation into problems at school

Powys County Council’s learning and skills scrutiny committee were told at their meeting on Friday, July 31, that a report from an investigation should be published just before Christmas.

The hope is that the education service will learn from past mistakes, and it would help in future school shake-ups as part of the 10-year Schools Transformation Strategy.

Committee chairman, Councillor Peter Roberts, said he had asked for SWAP, the council’s internal auditors, to investigate the issues surrounding the merger of Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells High Schools.

Councillor Roberts said: “I expect a report to look at the structures and decision making process, the reports and information that was received.

“And any other issues that may have resulted in rapid increase in deficit, so that any lessons from that process are understood and learnt.

Education portfolio holder Councillor Phyl Davies told the committee that he “fully welcomed” the move.

Councillor Davies said: “It’s hugely important that we do learn from past mistakes.”

He pointed out that “none” of the officers involved in setting up the school now worked for the council .

Education service challenge advisory for Calon Cymru, Anwen Orrells, told members that some of the lessons learned had already been “paramount” in setting up the all through (4-18 years) school at Llanfyllin.

All-through school

The statutory process will see both schools close from August 31, 2020.

On the next day, September 1, 2020, a fully bilingual all-through school from the age of four to 18 will be opened.

But Councillor David Jones believed that the merger of Newtown High School and Presteigne’s John Beddoes secondary school in 2014, would be a better case study rather than all-through schools.

Councillor Jones, said: “We opened one in Machynlleth (Bro Hyddgen) and in Llanidloes, we have plenty of experience setting up all-through schools, and they seem to be work.

“The only other high school on two sites we have is Newtown with the Presteigne campus.

“We need to be comparing like with like.”

Councillor Roberts said he would have those comments “in mind” when meeting with auditors to decide the scope of the investigation.

Less than two years ago, Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells high schools were merged to become Ysgol Calon Cymru.

The schools became campuses under one headteacher and one governing body.

Closing deficit balances of nearly £1.4 million were written off when the schools closed, allowing Ysgol Calon Cymru to start from a neutral finance position.

But by March 31, it had already racked up a deficit of £131,302.