BRECON Town Council will object to Powys council’s plans to close Brecon High School and replace it with a new building.

Councillors say they support building a new modern school but are opposed to the council’s plans to remove the sixth form and Welsh language provision from Brecon.

Powys council is consulting on plans that would see both Brecon and Gwernyfed high schools closed. They would be replaced by an English medium 11 to 16 school.

It would operate from the two existing sites until a new school could be built on the current Brecon High School site. Post 16 education would be provided by the NPTC College which already operates in Brecon.

But members of the town council supported a motion which while recognising "the urgent need for the development of modern, fit-for-purpose secondary educational facilities in Brecon" stated it "firmly believes" the school should have post 16 and full Welsh medium provision.

Labour councillor Robin Lewis, who is a governor of Brecon High, proposed the motion. He said: "If the school does not have a sixth form it will be at a distinct disadvantage to every other school in Powys."

He said removing Welsh language provision from the school would harm the community and the nearby Welsh medium primary, Ysgol y Bannau.

Councillor Neil Sandford (Lab), who seconded the motion, said his two children had been educated through Welsh at Ysgol y Bannau and Brecon High.

He said: "It is a crying shame to see the condition that the school is in. Hopefully as a community we can all rally together and ensure we have a modern fit for purpose school with a sixth form and Welsh language provision."

Cllr Matthew Dorrance (Lab) said he was concerned that existing vocational provision could be "squeezed out" of the small college site in Brecon if it is the only A level provider in the town.

The motion said Powys council should do "all it can" to access the Welsh Government’s 21 Century school building programme.

Powys council has said its plans would provide a sustainable school of 650 pupils in Brecon and also consolidate Welsh medium education at a new school in Llandrindod of Builth Wells.