The loss of a breakfast club and after-school care could have contributed to the closure of a second school site in Powys.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour Cabinet today (Tuesday), senior councillors received a report on a proposal to start the legal process of closing the Cradoc school campus by the end of August next year.

Cradoc is part of Ysgol Golwg Pen y Fan, which includes two other sites in Brecon.

Education portfolio holder, Cllr James Gibson-Watt explained that the number of pupils has “fallen quite dramatically” at Cradoc.

Cllr Gibson-Watt said: “They have decreased from 71 in September 2024 to 39 in September 2025.

“Across the whole school there are 215 surplus spaces and that’s 53 per cent.”

He explained that Cradoc itself had 75 per cent spare capacity.

One of the issues that has contributed to the exodus of pupils had been the closure last Easter of the “wraparound” privately-run breakfast club and after-school care provision.

Former education portfolio holder, who now looks after the adult social care brief, Cllr Pete Roberts (Liberal Democrat – Llandrindod South) wanted to see research done on the impacts of losing “wraparound” provision.

This loss contributed to the closure of Irfon Valley primary school near Builth Wells last year.

Cllr Roberts asked: “What support and work are we doing to understand the sustainability of wraparounds at our other primary schools?

“Because it seems to be a risk facing all those medium-sized 60 to 90 pupil schools.”

Head of Transforming Education Marianne Evans said: “It is a concern; there is a minimum number needed for wraparound to be viable.

“It’s an important piece of work for the whole county as it’s becoming more and more important to families.”

Local county councillor for Cradoc, Cllr Iain McIntosh spoke against the proposal at the meeting.

Cllr McIntosh (Reform UK – Yscir with Honddu Isaf and Llanddew) said: “I’m asking cabinet not to proceed, the proposal is premature, unsafe and contrary to assurances previously given to governors and parents.”

When the proposal to close Cradoc was first mooted the school had a capacity for 175 pupils, with 108 on the roll.

Cllr McIntosh claims the site’s actual capacity is 128 pupils and not the 158 now used by the council for the campus.

Cllr McIntosh said: “I still believe that figure is wrong as it includes the hall that’s not used as a classroom and space that’s rented out – so when those are taken out it’s 128.

“For the last five years I have been asking for Cradoc to be remeasured properly and for the true capacity to be published - any decision based on incorrect data will be unsound.”

Ms Evans told Cabinet that even if the capacity was recognised as 128 pupils there would “still be a significant amount of spare spaces on that site.”

Deputy Council Leader Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Labour – Brecon West) said: “I never believed that the council should have merged Cradoc with Mount Street infants and junior school, but the previous administration did - and that was always going to lead us down the road to this point.

“It was a recipe for a mess, but we have to deal with the world as it is, not as we would wish it to be.”

Cabinet went on to unanimously support the move to consult on the closure proposal.

If the site does close, pupils would be expected to move over to one of the other school campuses.