Cabinet to consider Irfon Valley school consultation report

18 January 2024

A small south Powys primary school will close if a recommendation to Cabinet is approved, the county council has said.

Powys County Council is proposing to close Irfon Valley C.P. School and carried out a six-week consultation on the proposal between October and December 2023. The findings of the consultation will be considered by Cabinet on Tuesday, January 23.

Cabinet will also be asked to continue with the process to close Irfon Valley C.P. School, which currently has 18 pupils.

If given the go-ahead, the council will publish a statutory notice formally proposing the change. It would then be required to consider another report to conclude the process.

Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: "The council would like to thank all those who took part in the consultation exercise for this proposal.

"After carefully considering all the consultations responses, the recommendation that Cabinet will be considering is to continue with the proposal by publishing the statutory notice formally proposing the closure of Irfon Valley C.P. School.

"The decrease in pupil numbers has impacted on the school's educational and financial sustainability and this needs to be addressed.

"The proposal would address the issue of low pupil numbers at Irfon Valley C.P. School. It would also reduce the council's overall surplus capacity in primary schools while providing a revenue saving to the council.

To read the council's Strategy for Transforming Education 2020-2032 and details of the Transforming Education Programme - Wave 2 (2022 - 2027) visit Transforming Education