Schools funding investment approved

Ysgol Cedewain and Newtown High School are among the winners of a schools investment plan approved by councillors today totalling £1million.

Abermule, Llanidloes and Llanfair Caereinion schools will also benefit.

Powys County Council's cabinet today agreed to spend £200,000 replacing mobile teaching and staff accommodation at Ysgol Cedewain with new facilities, while £148,000 will be spent at Newtown High School on adaptation work, although it is not stated what exactly these are.

Funding for replacement windows, improvements to toilets and boundary fences will also be undertaken at Abermule, Llanidloes and Llanfair Caereinion.

Cabinet Member for Schools, Councillor Arwel Jones said: “The decision represents a very significant investment in the county’s school infrastructure. The funding will allow more than a dozen much needed programmes to take place in our primary and secondary buildings.

“All projects have been identified as priority schemes under the council’s new improvement scoring and prioritisation criteria. With annual funding being reduced as part of general funding pressures and the need to focus on the 21 century schools programme it was essential that the council developed a new system that clearly identified priority schemes.

“Next year’s work will include a £200,000 project to replace mobile teachings and staff accommodation at Ysgol Cedewain, Newtown, £148,000 adaptation work at Newtown High School, £128,000 for changing facilities and improvements to toilets at Crickhowell High School, £73,000 to re-roof the music and art block at Newtown High School’s John Beddoes campus.  

“There will also be smaller schemes at schools in Abermule, Castle Caereinion, Brecon, Llanidloes, Arddleen, Llanfyllin and Llanfair Caereinion, providing  replacement windows, improvements to toilets and boundary fences to improve security.

“The cabinet has also approved £1m in school improvement funding for the following two financial years taking overall investment to more than £3.2m,” he added.