South powys schools rethink.

#2: -  

This is precisely the problem with independent councillors. They can make decisions in other areas of Powys to their own and there is no consequence for them. For years in Powys independent councillors have made terrible decisions and shrugged them off at election time as 'nothing to do with me gov'. I do not think Powys County Council will improve until it is run by a political group who will be responsible to the electorate and their Parties. Also what accountability for the current Chief Executive of Powys who was in charge 5 years ago when a similar proposal was put forward (and the closing of a number of small schools in the meantime). It is like Groundhog Day. It's as if these people don't want young people in Powys, but given the debacle with Dom Care they don't look after older people either. It is a disgrace. 

They need to think of the children's education that are at stake. This will ruin the current year 7&8's GCSE's. PCC haven't thought of the costs for travel from Hay-On-Wye, Talgarth etc to Brecon on the busses. PCC need to rethink their priorities, education is a priority, however why don't they just refebish our schools and spend money elsewhere? 

I have not signed this petition. 

Is it better to keep Gwernyfed and Brecon crumbling away, hemmorhaging money, operating on dwindling student numbers and on special measures (in Brecon's case)??? You offer no viable alternative and you can't just ignore the bottom line. I'm sure the people signing this will be the first to condemn the 20% hike in council tax that will be required to afford it in a few years if nothing changes. 

Childrens' education is at stake so surely it would be better to have a big state of the art school that would give students access to a broader range of options?? 

I actually think it's a good idea. If a larger better resourced school gives my children opportunity then that has to be a good thing. Both schools buildings are wholly inappropriate to teach in a modern way. Change is unsettling but for the sake of all (learners and teachers) embrace the challenge and change and turn the negativity into something positive,  a £50m investment in an educational establishment for our learners now and in the future. 

With no regard for the children & communities affected, Powys CC want to sacrifice Gwernyfed so they can get funding for a new school for the people of Brecon. The result? Children spending up to 3 hours a day on the bus. Children excluded from after school sports teams, music clubs etc. as they live too far from a school & must start the journey home. Children too tired to undertake effective homework after a 10 hour day at school/on the bus. Communities devoid of working age families, who don't want to live in an area without schools. Communities dying away as the life is drained out of them. Rural businesses failing. Social care costs rising for a rural population increasingly made up of old people. Well done Powys - you will fail the people and businesses of the county in the most fundamental ways possible, and then those responsible will retire or step down from their council positions with impunity, leaving the mess for others to live with.