CEREDIGION County Council’s top education officer has said the council has “no say whatsoever” over the running of Ysgol Penweddig, a councillor has claimed.

The council’s strategic director of education, Barry Rees, is said to have made the remarkable admission at the learning communities scrutiny committee meeting on Friday, 17 March, after Cllr Alun Lloyd Jones asked why “cashless” dinner cards were not being extended to Penweddig.

Cllr Jones said the cards were important so that pupils entitled to free school meals do not feel stigmatised.

But Cllr Jones said he was told by Mr Rees that the cards could not be introduced at Penweddig because the private firm which manages the school under the controversial PFI agreement, Newschools (Penweddig) Ltd, had refused.

“When I asked why not, I was told ‘we have no say whatsoever with what happens in the school’,” said Cllr Jones, referring to Mr Rees’ comments.

“The director of education has asked and it has been ‘no, no, no’.”

See this week’s Cambrian News south editions for the full story, in shops and online now