Controversial plans to radically transform secondary education in Powys, which could result in the closure of sixth forms have been approved by councillors.

Management could be streamlined and schools merge after Powys County Council’s ruling board backed the big shake-up in Llandrindod Wells yesterday.

But the decision means all 13 high school sites are likely to stay open after concerns earlier this year that up to five could close.

A public consultation on the proposals will now start at the end of January.

Councillors voted 10 to three in favour of the plans, but said no decision on any schools would be made until after the public consultation had been completed.

Councillor David Jones, board member for schools and inclusion, said schools, communities, townspeople, staff, teachers and pupils, would all have a chance to air their views during the consultation.

Decisions

He said: “We want as many people to comment on the proposals as possible because whatever is said will come back to the council next summer, when councillors will be making more definite proposals and making decisions.”

This year the council said some schools could be forced to close because of falling pupil numbers and inc-reased costs. But it now wants to keep all 13 sites open by reorganising and streamlining the management structure, so that a headteacher would take responsibility for a school on two, or more, sites.

Two recommendations for sixth form education will also go out to consultation in January — one would see services delivered as a partnership between schools and Coleg Powys, and the other is for the service to be handed over entirely to Coleg Powys.

Proposals could also see Welsh-medium provision, which is currently being offered at seven schools in the county, being provided at only three.

Councillor Wynne Jones said: “The closure of some sixth forms will be inevitable because they are just not sustainable at the moment.”

Councillor Russell George, from Newtown, said he was concerned how much the shake-up was going to cost.