Councillors want control over school closures

The closure of a Newtown primary school is among a series of controversial decisions being highlighted as Powys councillors prepare to debate whether the final say on shutting schools should be taken away from the council’s cabinet.

Treowen Primary School in Newtown is among several schools to have been closed since the power to make final decisions was transferred from the full council to the cabinet.

A motion will be brought in front of Powys councillors in a bid to take back control of the decision-making process to close schools.

At a Powys County Council (PCC) meeting on Thursday, October 8, independent opposition councillors will put forward a motion that the final decision on any school closure is decided at a full council meeting, and not by the cabinet.

This follows warnings from council chiefs that more primary schools need to be closed in order to rebalance the budget in the education sector.

This is so that secondary schools get more funding to address their current financial problems.

The latest primary school earmarked for closure is Gladestry Church in Wales primary school.

In July, Powys council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet agreed to start the legal process to close Gladestry at the end of August 2027.

A consultation is currently taking place on the proposal, which is set to end on October 26.

Cllr Ed Jones (Powys Independents), who represents the Old Radnor ward, which includes Gladestry, said: “Given the significant and long-lasting impact that school closures have on children, families, staff, and the sustainability of rural communities, this council believes that decisions of such magnitude should be taken by the full democratic body of elected members.”

Cllr Jones will ask councillors to agree that: “All future school closure proposals within Powys must be determined by full council, following completion of the statutory consultation and objection processes required under the school organisation code.

“The cabinet may continue to initiate consultations and publish statutory notices, but the final decision on whether a school is to close shall rest with full council.

“The constitution shall be amended accordingly to reflect this change in decision-making responsibility.”

The motion is set to be seconded by Powys Independents joint group leader Cllr Beverley Baynham (Presteigne).

Council finance chiefs have assessed the motion and said: “The proposal may result in additional governance and decision-making costs where matters that would otherwise be determined by cabinet are instead referred to full council.”

They also argue this would divert officers and councillors away from “other council business.”

They calculate that “based on current estimates”, a full council meeting costs approximately £17,400 for a standard four-and-a-half-hour meeting, compared with approximately £5,400 for a standard two-and-a-half-hour cabinet meeting, a difference of £12,000.

The last school to be closed following a vote at a full council meeting was Llanerfyl Church in Wales primary school in September 2019, after being agreed by the then Independent/Conservative cabinet in April 2019.

Following this decision, the power was transferred to the cabinet, which is made up of councillors from the ruling administration of the day.

Since then, several primary schools right across the county have been closed as the council looks to “transform” education.

These are:

- Castle Caereinion Church in Wales primary school near Welshpool.
- Llanfihangel Rhydithon primary school near Llandrindod Wells.
- Ysgol Bro Cynllaith primary school in Llansilin near Oswestry.
- Llanbedr Church in Wales primary school near Crickhowell.
- Irfon Valley primary school at Garth near Builth Wells.
- Cradoc primary school campus near Brecon.
- Treowen primary school in Newtown.

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporting Service