Cuts may hamper schools closure plans
Due to the cuts, the service will not have the “capacity” to carry out the work such as schools statutory closure processes.
This could see schools identified for closure due to size or running costs continue to operate as other options are limited.
The information was revealed at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday as education portfolio holder, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander had her separate £2 million for the major improvement plan for schools rubber stamped. It includes £25,000 to be spent on improving Welshpool High School’s all-weather pitch (not the one belonging to The Flash).
“My service made £2 million worth of cuts in the back office, we don’t have the capacity to necessarily close every small school that we might consider closing.
“We find ourselves between a rock and hard place having to spend some capital on a school which in five years’ time may not be open.”
She added that short term investments in school sites might have to be made.
Cllr Peter Roberts, chairman of the learning and skills scrutiny committee, responded to her comments: “I’m concerned with what’s been said about the cuts to the back office. And that it means that decisions that need to be taken, may not be taken due to a lack of capacity.
“That’s something we may seek clarity on in scrutiny, but it’s a new and serious concern.”
Cllr Roberts went on to add that the maintenance work which will take place in schools that may not have a long term future led him to believe that a comprehensive review of school sites and locations needs to be done as part of a three to five-year future work plan.
On the major improvement programme Cllr Alexander said “We have the most ambitious schools’ modernisation programmes in Wales, but the fact that we are building new schools does not mean that we have forgotten the others.
“The sum of money to be spent on school improvement is expected to halve next year as the reason for that is much of the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) work has already been completed.
“You will see in this set of projects there’s still some DDA work to be done. It will also allow us to give education in the most cost effective way to some of our most vulnerable learners.”
The £2 million for primary and secondary school work includes improving disabled access, security work, improved sports facilities and classroom improvements to support the 21st century schools programme in the 2019/20 financial year.
The decision had been pulled from a previous cabinet meeting as the money is part of next year’s budget which was only approved at a second vote.
As well as the work on the high school’s pitch, a further £150,000 will be spend at Llanfyllin High School on for boiler, security work and disability improvement work. Another £400,000 will be invested in a number of schools around the county to improve energy efficiency.
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
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