Councillors approve business case for a new £12.7 million special school

Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter

A business case for a new £12.7 million special school has been given the green light by senior councillors.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet on Tuesday, February 4, councillors received the final report on the application for Welsh Government funding to build a new special school next to the Grade II listed Brynllywarch Hall in Kerry.

The costs of building a new 84 pupil school near Newtown have shot up by over £3.5 million from the original estimate of £9.1 million back in 2020.

The school is for children who have Behavioural. Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD).

Saving

Education portfolio holder Liberal Democrat Cllr Pete Roberts explained the proposal as being a £3 million saving for the Welsh Government and Powys taxpayers rather than an increased burden.

This is because cost estimates had spiralled towards £15 million under ISG the former developers for the scheme.

Last September ISG went bust, which is around a year after the council parted ways with them over the Brynllywarch project.

Cllr Roberts said: “With the changes that have been made and the re-tendering process that has delayed things we’re now looking at a saving to the public purse.”

Liberal democrat cabinet member for a connected Powys, Liberal Democrat, Cllr Jake Berriman asked whether the Welsh Government would be providing any extra revenue funding to cover utilities costs.

Cllr Berriman worried that bills could rise by around “£5,000, to £15,000” a year compared to what they spend at the current site.

Cllr Berriman: “I’m concerned we’re being left with additional costs in schools as a result of the specification.”

Utility bills

Director of corporate services, Jane Thomas confirmed that the Welsh Government would not be providing extra money “specifically” for utility bills.

Council leader, Liberal Democrat Cllr James Gibson-Watt said: “I welcome this.

“I haven’t been to Brynllywarch for some years, but even then, it was patently obvious to me that this was not suitable building to educate children in let alone particularly vulnerable children.”

He believed that all local authorities need to discuss issues with the Welsh Government if utility bills in news school buildings rise because of the standards the design has to reach to get the funding.

“Nevertheless, I’m keen to support this,” said Cllr Gibson-Watt.

Cabinet then went on to support the proposal unanimously and the business case will now be sent to the Welsh Government for approval.

The Welsh Government are expected to provide £9.548 million while the council will need to stump up £3.182 million.