A SPECIAL meeting of the county council's cabinet is to be held in Llandrindod Wells to decide on proposals to reorganise secondary education.

Powys County Council's cabinet member for learning, Stephen Hayes, outlined the council's latest proposals, which are intended to maintain all existing 13 secondary schools, last week.

The ruling Powys Administration cabinet, drawn from a coalition between the Powys Independent Alliance group and the Liberal Democrats, will be asked to back the plans when it meets at the Pavilion theatre on Tuesday, November 22.

The meeting has been moved from County Hall to accommodate what's expected to be a greater than usual public attendance.

Council leader Michael Jones said: "The new proposals are a matter of great interest to the public and we have decided to move the meeting to the Pavilion to give as many people as possible an opportunity to attend.

"Although the venue can cater for considerably more people than County Hall there is a maximum allowed and places will be available on a first come first served basis. Doors will open at 9.30am and the meeting starts at 10am.

"Unfortunately there will not be parking available at the site but there is parking in the town and we are encouraging people to car share or use public transport where possible."

The council plans to create a central commissioning body for post 16 education and believes the savings this will create can be reinvested in 11-16 schooling, allowing it to maintain all 13 of its secondary schools.

Schools will also expected to work closer together and the council is grouping its schools in 'families'.

All schools will retain their sixth forms under the plan, but controversially the council intends designating the sixth forms at Builth Wells High and Caereinion High School, in Montgomeryshire, as Welsh medium centres with no English language provision.

Education in Welsh at 11-16 will be concentrated in fewer sites, which the council says will enhance provision. In Brecon and Radnorshire Welsh education will be based at Builth and Brecon High School - both schools will also be expected to work closely with each other.

The plans follow an 'informal' public consultation held earlier this year when the council had suggested merging schools and establishing sixth forms centres, with provision at some schools downgraded.

The council also considered a plan to establish a tertiary system at post 16, with A Level courses run by Coleg Powys.

The possibility of establishing a dedicated Welsh medium secondary school was also consulted on, but has been ruled out for now by Cllr Hayes who said he hopes to look at demand again in the future.