An emergency meeting to consider scrapping plans to close high schools and sixth forms across Powys took place yesterday (Thursday).
The meeting was due to be held at County Hall in Llandrindod Wells as the Journal went to press, in the wake of a public outcry at leaked plans to dramatically alter secondary education in the county.
The meeting was called after 11 county councillors, including eight members from the Conservative group, and Councillors Ann Holloway, Gareth Morgan and Viola Evans, signed a motion last Friday demanding that the meeting be held as soon as possible.
The debate was due to have taken place later in March, after Powys County Council chairman Councillor David Price gave the go-ahead for a full education discussion at January’s full council meeting.
It was expected to follow on from the council’s ruling board meeting on March 2 at which it is due to approve a new group to oversee the secondary schools modernisation review.
Three weeks ago, plans which suggested axing as many as seven high schools, while merging some schools or replacing all sixth forms with colleges, were leaked to the media.
The county council said the document, which outlined four possible models of secondary education, was intended as a “starting point” for discussion by its modernisation review group of education officials and some headteachers.
However, at January’s full council meeting, the council’s chief executive Jeremy Patterson announced that the review group had been scrapped but the four options plus other potential ideas would still be considered under the review.
Conservative group leader Councillor Mike Hodges said many of his group had signed the motion calling for the meeting. He said they had done it because of the strength of feeling and vocal opposition to the document particularly in Montgomeryshire, and the demand for faster action than the council had planned.
“We want to make it official that those four models are dead in the water but they give us a starting point for further discussion. We must look at the modernisation of our secondary schools.
“The 13 high schools are the jewels in the crown of any community. It’s been proven in many studies that if you take away a high school, people stop locating their families in the area. It beggars belief that it could even be considered in a county like Powys.”
Meanwhile, Montgomeryshire MP has raised the possible closure of up to five secondary schools in Powys in Parliament. Lembit Opik tabled an early day motion.
It called on Powys County Council to find a solution which does not involve the closure of any high school or sixth form.
In Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Opik urged the council’s officers and councillors to find another solution.
“I’ve decided to raise the issue of potential school closures in Parliament to present a measured and clear official view.
“I do believe it’s in order for me to lobby and represent the public mood,” he said.