“County Council reneged on pitch promise”

A Welshpool county councillor has said that Powys County Council has reneged on a promise made to a public meeting to replace the playing fields lost to the new primary school on Salop Road.

There has been a long running dispute after the popular fields were swallowed up by the state-of-the-art school and car parking. 

Campaigners have said throughout that a promise was made by Powys County Council to provide like-for-like replacements, but until now no one official has confirmed that this was the case.

But Cllr Phil Pritchard said that he used this broken promise as a bartering chip during the discussions to build a second primary school for Welsh speakers on the site of Maesydre.

He eventually managed to convince the council that the school’s new football pitch, community hall, multi-use games area and space for a new skate park would be included as part of a ‘community benefits package’ in order for him to approve its construction. 

“Some four or five yeas ago, a promise was made by Powys County Council (PCC) that the football pitches at Salop Road would be replaced when they were taken up to build the town’s infants school,” said Cllr Pritchard.

“This promise was made by an officer of PCC to a community meeting at Oldford School. All School Governors, and some Castle Ward, Gungrog Ward, and Llanerchyddol Ward councillors were present, together with interested parents.

“PCC reneged on this promise and stated that the officer did not have the authority to make that promise. Over the past four years I, and other councillors have continued to press PCC to keep to that promise, and have met with no interest from PCC whatsoever.”

After successfully securing the primary school deal at Maesydre, Cllr Pritchard has called for Powys to throw open the million-pound sports facilities recently constructed at Welshpool High School to the public.

In response to Cllr Pritchard’s claims, a spokesperson for Powys County Council told us: “The council looked at various options to compensate the community for the loss of grass pitches. However, the town of Welshpool is constrained in terms of available land, with the established playing fields owned by the town council already being used to capacity.

“The council is investing almost £22m in education facilities in Welshpool which includes sports facilities such as multi-use games area and grass pitches installed at the two new primary schools as well as upgrading the sports facilities at Welshpool High School.

“The council also supports the Welsh Government’s community-focussed schools’ aspiration as part of the 21st Century Schools Programme, which has helped fund the education investment in Welshpool.

“The council would be very supportive of these facilities being used by the community of Welshpool outside of school hours. Discussions will take place with all three schools to work out how this can be achieved.”