Local cllr slams plans for closure of Treowen

Cllr Joy Jones has hit back at plans to close Treowen School and move pupils to a newly built building in the centre of the town.

As we reported yesterday, Powys County Councill revealed fresh plans to close Treowen school and move pupils to a newly built primary school on the existing Ysgol Calon y Dderwen campus.

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Responding to the news on social media, Cllr Joy Jones, who is the local county councillor for both Treowen School and Ysgol Calon y Dderwen said:

"Heartbreaking news today from the Lib Dem Portfolio holder Cllr Pete Roberts for education. He has decided to propose the closure of Treowen Primary School and to integrate it into the new build of Ysgol Calon y Dderwen. "

"This is despite the community sending in over 100 replies to the councils engagement questionnaire where the majority of the comments sent in regarding Treowen School were were not in favour of closing Treowen School. "

"This is devastating news as the school is the hub of the community and will leave parents having to take their children into the centre of the town adding extra pressure to the already congested Park Street (which also has the proposed new health hub being built there) this also goes against the council's fight to save the environment as it will add to more parents using their cars."

"If it is agreed and get through to ouncil stages it will be then that it goes to public consultation it will be extremely important everyone makes their voice heard"

An analysis of the report to be examined by councillors indicate that during the public engagement exercise which took place in the summer, 301 people responded and only 9 of the 101 responses from Treowen outlined any benefits with closing the school.

Treowen currently has 106 pupils of a capacity for 172, which means it has 38.4% surplus spaces. The number of pupils receiving free school meals is 42 per cent and no pupils there have received a special educational needs statement.