PLANS to axe three small north Powys primary schools and move their pupils into another expanded site are set to be abandoned by Powys Council.
The plans for three sites in the north of the county into one expanded building are set to be shelved at a cabinet meeting next week, after a feasibility study found it would not be able to accommodate the new pupils.
Powys County Council is looking to reconfigure and rationalise the primary school provision in the county as part of its Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030.
Earlier this year, cabinet agreed to start the statutory process to close Llanfechain Church in Wales School, Llangedwyn Church in Wales School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith, which is in Llansilin.
Cabinet also agreed to start the development of a business justification case for a new extension to Llansantffraid Church in Wales School and to start to statutory process to make a regulated alteration to increase the school’s capacity by 90 places following completion of the new extension.
But next week, on Tuesday, December 14, cabinet members will hear that a feasibility study looking at the viability to extend Llansantffraid Church in Wales School raised concerns about whether an extension was feasible on the current site.
Councillor Phyl Davies, cabinet member for education and property, said: “It is clear from the findings of the feasibility study and the business justification case that we are not able to develop an extension to Llansantffraid Church in Wales School.
“Due to these findings, I will be recommending to cabinet not to proceed with the extension to Llansantffraid Church in Wales School and not to proceed with planned consultation on the closure of Llanfechain Church in Wales School, Llangedwyn Church in Wales School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith.
“I will also be recommending to cabinet that they instruct the Transforming Education Team to bring alternative proposals for Llanfechain Church in Wales School, Llangedwyn Church in Wales School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith without delay.”
For more information about Transforming Education in Powys, visit https://en.powys.gov.uk/transformingeducation
