Row after £200,000 taken away from school extension project for nursery
A row has broken out after £200,000 funding was taken away from a Welsh language nursery due to the possibility that the primary school it is based at, will close in an education shake-up.
Cylch Meithrin Pen-y-Bont Fawr, which is based at Ysgol Pennant primary school in the village of Pen-y-Bont Fawr, was awarded a grant of £200,000 by the Welsh Government, to improve its facilities.
It had had been planned to have a new mobile classroom on land near the primary school, but this was changed, and a proposal to extend the school was put forward.
Work on this idea including surveys happened in the early part of the year, and stopped due to the Covid-19 lockdown in March.
The grant is managed by Powys County Council which will now use the money at nurseries around the county.
This is because the school is part of the council’s education transformation plans and is earmarked for closure.
Councillor Bryn Davies, the chairman of the school governors, and wants to see the decision changed or delayed.
He said: “This is an outrageous decision and a real kick in the teeth to the children, parents, staff of Cylch Meithrin and Ysgol Pennant and the extensive surrounding community.
“I was involved in the planning of the new facility.
Justify
“I will not dispute that it would be difficult to justify public expenditure on the early years plan, and the extension to the school in the eventuality that Ysgol Pennant is closed.
“However, there is many a slip twixt cup and lip and this decision pre-judges the outcome of the forthcoming consultation process in the most egregious manner. ”
Councillor Davies believes that the money should be kept back and used if the school remains open.
He argues that any decision to close Pen-y-Bont Fawr would need “exceptionally strong justification”.
On September 29, the Independent/Conservative Cabinet approved the first wave of school transformation business cases.
If it comes to fruition the proposals in the Llanfyllin area it would see Ysgol Pen-y-Bont Fawr closed and Ysgol Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant become a Welsh medium school – with the expectation that pupils from Pen-y-Bont Fawr would go to Llanrhaeadr.
Education portfolio holder, Councillor Phyl Davies said: “Given the decision that was taken, it would be unwise to commit public funding to Cylch Meithrin Peny-Bont Fawr when the future of the school is uncertain.
“I want to stress that no decision has been made.”
“Any changes will be subject to statutory reorganisation process which involves extensive consultation with schools and their communities before any decisions are made.”
It is expected that a more detailed proposals for the area will be back in front of cabinet in December which will lead into the consultation process.
