Staff at new £22 million special school threaten strike action over job losses

Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter

Staff at a brand new £22 million special school are considering industrial action over threatened job losses.

Members of the National Education Union (NEU) Cymru at the Ysgol Robert Owen special school in Newtown, which used to be called Ysgol Cedewain, have asked their union to ballot for industrial action following proposals for massive redundancies.

The union said that shortly after the school opened on September 1, staff were told that one in six of them would face redundancy and that the state-of-the are hydro pool may never be used.

Homework

Interim NEU Cymru secretary, Nicola Fitzpatrick, said: “It is unbelievable that Powys Council have spent £22m of public money on a much-needed new school for children with additional learning needs but it appears they have not done their homework on how much it will cost to run and staff.

“We’re shocked they have also failed to fill all the places in the school despite a clear need for specialist provision.

“The proposed cuts will reduce the school to a shadow of what was intended as well as create an environment that is fundamentally unsafe for staff and pupils alike.

“Children with additional learning needs and our members both deserve better.

“The council should now identify the funds to run this brand-new facility safely and at its full potential.”

It is understood that a group calling themselves “Cedewain Victims” contacted council leader, Liberal Democrat Cllr James Gibson-Watt in December about the situation.

The current financial projections for the school would see it post a £316,610 deficit by the end of March, which would rise to a deficit of £595,313 by the end of March 2026 and then go up to a deficit of £979,752 by the end of March 2027.

Financial pressures

A spokesman for Powys County Council said: “Schools across Wales, like councils, are facing significant financial pressures which need to be managed.

“School leaders will need to consider how they manage their financial pressures within the resources available to them via the agreed school funding formula and allocated delegate budget.

“The council support schools through any management of change process to ensure that they are able deliver the curriculum within their resources.”

He added that there is a currently a “technical issue” with the school’s hydrotherapy pool that the council is “looking into.”

The current financial projections for the school would see it post a £316,610 deficit by the end of March, which would rise to a deficit of £595,313 by the end of March 2026 and then go up to a deficit of £979,752 by the end of March 2027.