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Question from: County Councillor Iain McIntosh Subject: Education [follow up]
Question:
“I’d like to thanks the portfolio holder for education, Cllr Phyl Davies, for his response to my question of 19th January 2022 here Agenda item - Question from: County Councillor Iain McIntosh Subject: Education Cyngor Sir Powys County Council (moderngov.co.uk).
Within his response he states; “Decisions are made by the Cabinet following consideration of the evidence presented and advice given by officers who have spent careers managing the learning and well-being of children and young people.” He also posted a link to the Brecon programme business case here - Microsoft Word - Appendix A - Brecon Catchment PBC (moderngov.co.uk) , where at 3.4 (page 39), an entry mentions;
Option 4C – New Build Sennybridge, new build Brecon primary school, new build Cradoc Option 4D - Close both Sennybridge and Cradoc, build new school on alternative site, new build Brecon primary school
However, within the listed appraisals, on page 43, a number of advantages and disadvantages are listed for;
Option 4C - Close both Sennybridge and Cradoc, build new school on alternative site, new build Brecon primary school.
This is the wrong option entry; Option 4C should read as New Build Sennybridge, new build Brecon primary school, new build Cradoc. No consideration has therefore been given to this option. Also, within the list of appraisals, there is no option 4D.
The only options considered to include a new school build in Cradoc, include either closing, or totally rebuilding Sennybridge primary school.
No consideration has been given to; Keep Sennybridge school as it is (with some small upgrades if needed), build a new school to replace both Mount Street Schools in Brecon, and build a new school in Cradoc. Therefore not all options have been considered.
Can the portfolio holder and Cabinet members now please reconsider the proposal to close Cradoc Primary School, and properly evaluate the above proposal to build a new school in Cradoc, as proposed by myself, school governors, teachers, residents, grandparents, parents and children within the Yscir community, both throughout the whole consultation period and post 14th December, when a decision was made to close Cradoc School?
Can the portfolio holder also please confirm why, as pointed out in my previous question, I was told ‘Look, you’re not going to get a new school in Cradoc.’ by council officers, if as stated in his latest response, decisions are made by the Cabinet.”
Minutes: Response by the Portfolio Holder:
The advantages and disadvantages of Option 4C (outlined in the Programme Business Case considered by Cabinet on Sept 29th 2020) had been omitted due to a version control error, although it was assessed against the Critical Success Factors and discounted.
This error was brought to Cabinet’s attention in the MS/Cradoc Proposal Paper on 23rd Dec 2020: ‘The preferred way forward for the Mount Street schools and Cradoc CP School was outlined the Programme Business Case that was considered by Cabinet on the 29th September 2020. A number of options were considered and assessed, however, the report presented to Cabinet did not include the advantages and disadvantages of Option 4C which was to build new schools for Mount Street Infant and Junior School, Sennybridge CP School and Cradoc CP School due to an error with version control, although the option was assessed against the investment objectives and critical success factors, based on the following advantages and disadvantages, and was discounted from further assessment.’
In response to your final point, Officers have confirmed that they informed you that the Business Case does not support a new build school in Cradoc as the preferred option. You advised Officers that you understood the Strategy and supported it for everywhere other than Cradoc (where you believed a new school should be built), hence your voting of such proposals elsewhere in the County. Whilst the business case does not support a new build in Cradoc as the preferred way forward, Officers will not be advising the Portfolio Holder or Cabinet to build a new school.
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