Members of the National Education Union Cymru at Ysgol Robert Owen in Newtown have asked their union to ballot for industrial action following proposals for massive redundancies.
Ysgol Robert Owen opened on September 1st 2024, at a cost of £22m, and yet within months staff have been told that up to one in six of them face redundancy and the state-of-the-art Hydro Pool may never be used.
Speaking about the planned cuts in the school, Nicola Fitzpatrick, Interim Wales Secretary for the National Education Union (NEU) Cymru, said:
"It is unbelievable that Powys Council have spent £22m of public money on a much-needed new school for children with additional learning needs but it appears they have not done their homework on how much it will cost to run and staff. We're shocked they have also failed to fill all the places in the school despite a clear need for specialist provision.
"The proposed cuts will reduce the school to a shadow of what was intended as well as create an environment that is fundamentally unsafe for staff and pupils alike. Children with additional learning needs and our members both deserve better. The Council should now identify the funds to run this brand-new facility safely and at its full potential."