School redundancy costs top £250k

There are 122 schools in Powys

The cost of funding teachers' early retirement and redundancy in Powys is expected to be more than first thought this year, a council report reveals.

Powys Council has earmarked £250,000 for the scheme, but it has admitted it may need to find more.

School funding is dependent on pupil numbers and if they fall head teachers have to make a decision about their staff, said the council.

There are 106 primary, 13 secondary and three special schools in Powys.

The council report said if more funding was needed to fund redundancy or early retirement then it could be taken out of the 2009-10 schools budget.

It added that with falling pupil numbers and the change of the use of grants, the authority was expecting a number of schools to be "in a redundancy position in the forthcoming year and has made a provision of £250,000 in its budget plan".

'Teaching staff'

The report said: "Schools are currently finalising budget plans for the year, however it is evident from the initial draft budgets that the £250,000 budget provision may not meet all the costs that will have to be met.

"The final costs will not be known until well into the autumn term following agreement of all redundancy's and finalisation of a revised policy for teaching staff."

Last October, the council voted to shut Llangurig, Howey, near Llandrindod Wells, and Thomas Stephens School in Pontneddfechan last October.

A decision about Carno, near Newtown, Llanfihangel Yng Gwynfa and Ysgol Efyrnwy, near Llanfyllin, was deferred.