Plans to close Gwernyfed and Brecon high schools are to be torn up.

A report outlining feedback from wide-ranging consultation earlier this year and recommending abandoning the closure of the two schools will be debated by the full council on September 8 and considered for decision by the cabinet on September 27.

The report is recommending plans to close both Gwernyfed and Brecon high schools and create one 11-16 school, with post-16 education delivered by Neath Port Talbot College Group should be abandoned in favour of investment in a new campus at Brecon and improvements at the Gwernyfed site.

Gwernyfed headteacher John Williams said: "I would like to acknowledge that Powys council have listened to everyone associated with Gwernyfed High School and have abandoned their initial proposals through a thorough consultation process. "This is a fantastic victory for the community who have made their opinions clear and value the quality of education we are providing. Secondary education has been secured on the Gwernyfed site. We now ask that pupils, governors and staff of both Brecon High and Gwernyfed are involved in the shaping of the new recommendations so standards continue to improve for young people in Brecknockshire."The council's proposed u-turn has been welcomed by Talgarth county councillor William Powell. He said: "I'm delighted to hear the news the cabinet has listened to the overwhelming views expressed by parents, pupils and the wider community at Gwernyfed and indeed Brecon and it's absolutely vital we take the full opportunity to debate this next Thursday and maintain pressure on the cabinet to this through to a successful conclusion."

The report is recommending to reconsult on the proposal to close the Welsh stream at Brecon High School and have it delivered at the Builth Wells campus of the proposed new two sited secondary school for mid Powys.The council will also be asked next Thursday to give its views on plans to close Builth Wells and Llandrindod high schools and create one school operating over the two existing sites from September 2017. The closure of the two schools will then be considered by the cabinet on September 27.Brecon councillor David Meredith, who is the chair of Brecon High's governing body, welcomed the proposal to retain the school's sixth form but said it also wants to continue to provide Welsh medium education.He said: "Obviously we're happy the recommendation is to retain the sixth form provision but equally important to the school is that we should retain Welsh medium education in Brecon."It is fine to reconsult and we will be fighting for its retention as there may be some pupils who could leave Brecon's Welsh medium primary Ysgol y Bannau, who if secondary provision is in Builth Wells, could decide to continue their education through English. That would be detrimental to the Welsh language."A spokesman for the Save Gwernyfed campaign group said "We have every right to be pleased with this change of plan, it is a triumph for the communities served by Gwernyfed High School and they should be very proud of this achievement. "The arguments put forward in opposition to the council's plans have always been well reasoned and well supported, and have been a key factor in this recommendation to abandon closure plans. "Our campaign focused on providing the best outcomes for the young people of the area. They only get one chance at education, they deserve the best and as our results show they get it at Gwernyfed. "Fair play to Powys for stepping back. We spoke - they listened and admitted that it was the strength of our opposition that changed their mind."The spokesman said the group is waiting to see what the council's further recommendations will mean for the management of the school and whether it will continue to provide sixth form education.

Cabinet Member for Schools, Councillor Arwel Jones said: “It was clear to anyone who attended the consultation meetings in Gwernyfed and Brecon that the plans for a single 11-16 school operating on one site in Brecon were not supported.

“Although there are many benefits for a larger 11-16 school in Brecon it is not the right solution for the area and that is clear from the consultation responses. The communities have spoken and we have listened and are abandoning our plans for a single school on one site.

“The cabinet will be asked to support plans to submit a revised Outline Business Case to Welsh Government’s 21st C Schools Programme for capital investment for a new build 11 – 18 campus in Brecon and improvements to the Gwernyfed campus. The council will also be asked next Thursday to give its views on plans to close Builth Wells and Llandrindod high schools and create one school operating over the two existing sites from September 2017. The closure of the two schools will then be considered by the cabinet on September 27.On the proposals for Builth and Llandrindod Cllr Jones said: "Both schools are currently in special measures and the move is designed to establish a sustainable model of secondary education capable of delivering high quality education. The move will allow us to streamline and improve the leadership structure across both sites."We can have the strongest governors, senior leaders, subject leaders and pastoral leaders – those who have the best track record of securing high outcomes and delivering the highest level of care - leading school improvement across the two sites. "The move will also generate economies of scale leading to increased investment in teaching and learning on both sites."If supported, the Builth Wells campus of the school would be dual-stream and deliver English and Welsh-medium education.UKIP's leader in the Welsh Assembly, and AM for Mid and West Wales, Neil Hamilton said the council had a difficult job to keep schools open but welcomed the proposal.He said: "This is great news, in particular for Gwernyfed and the communities it serves. I commend Arwel Jones and Powys County Council for listening to the people. “Schools are the beating heart of a rural area and because of falling school rolls, Powys has big challenges in keeping local services truly local. “We should recognise that our councillors do have difficult choices to make. They have done a good job in this case and we should give them credit where it is due."

The recommendations will be debated by full council on Thursday September 8 and will be considered for decision by the cabinet on Tuesday September 27.

A further report on secondary provision in the area will be considered by the cabinet early in the New Year.