A PROBE will be held to find out whether any problems setting up Ysgol Calon Cymru caused the school to fall into financial debt less than two years later.

Powys County Council’s Learning and Skills scrutiny committee were told at their meeting on Friday, July 31, that a report from an investigation should be published just before Christmas.

The hope is that the education service will learn from past mistakes, and it would help in future school shake-ups as part of the 10 year Schools Transformation Strategy.

Committee chairman, Cllr Peter Roberts (Llandrindod South – Liberal Democrat), said that he had asked for SWAP, PCC’s internal auditors, to investigate the issues surrounding the merger of Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells High Schools.

Cllr Roberts said: “I expect a report to look at the structures and decision making process, the reports and information that was received.

“And any other issues that may have resulted in rapid increase in deficit, so that any lessons from that process are understood and learnt.

Education portfolio holder Cllr Phyl Davies (Blaen Hafren – Conservative) told the committee that he “fully welcomed” the move.

Cllr Davies said: “It’s hugely important that we do learn from past mistakes.”

He pointed out that “none” of the officers involved in setting up the school now worked for PCC .

Education service challenge advisory for Calon Cymru, Anwen Orrells, told members that some of the lessons learnt had already been, “paramount” in setting up the all through (four to 18 years) school at Llanfyllin.

The statutory process will see both schools close from August 31.

And on the next day, September 1, a fully bilingual all through school from the age of four to 18 will be opened.

But Cllr David Jones (Guilsfield – Independent) believed that the merger of Newtown High School and Presteigne’s John Beddoes secondary school in 2014, would be a better case study rather than all through schools.

Cllr Jones, said: “We opened one in Machynlleth (Bro Hyddgen) and in Llanidloes, we have plenty of experience setting up all through schools, and they seem to work.

“The only other high school on two sites we have is Newtown with the Presteigne campus.

“We need to be comparing like with like.”

Cllr Roberts said he would have those comments “in mind” when meeting with auditors to decide the scope of the investigation.

Less than two years ago, Builth Wells and Llandrindod Wells high schools were merged to become Ysgol Calon Cymru.

The schools became campuses under one headteacher and one governing body.

Closing deficit balances of nearly £1.4 million were written off when the schools closed, allowing Ysgol Calon Cymru to start from a neutral finance position.

But by March 31, it had already racked up a deficit of £131,302.