Powys County Council proposes £500,000 for Brecon special school

Powys County Council is proposing a £500,000 budget virement to fund additional teaching for students with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) at Ysgol Penmaes, a special school in Brecon. The funds are intended to support an expansion into new premises adapted for sixth form pupils, allowing for an additional 17 vulnerable learners to be accommodated starting in September 2026.

During a meeting of the Learning and Skills committee, councillors raised concerns regarding why this expenditure was not included in the 2026/2027 budget set last February. Cllr Angela Davies questioned whether the request indicated a budgeting error or a misunderstanding of service demand, expressing concern over the potential impact on mainstream school funding.

Cabinet member for education, Cllr James Gibson-Watt, stated the funding is necessary to meet exceptional demand. The education department intends to request that this temporary virement becomes a permanent part of the budget in the following year.