School headteachers and governors in Powys will be waiting with anticipation or dread to find out if they are one of the winners or losers under a new funding formula.

Last Tuesday, Powys County Council’s Cabinet unanimously passed the new formula which will come into force in April.

The formula is supposed to provide the “minimum sustainable core provision” of funding for school pupils.

Next year Powys schools will receive £70,480,215.

The discussion surrounding the formula has seen the Funding Review Group say that they believe that the minimum figure should be £5.5m higher.

Following significant tweaks by education officers they agreed to a minimum that is still nearly £1m higher than the budget.

Educational portfolio holder Cllr Myfanwy Alexander said: “There are schools that feel unfairly treated and this formula will provide transparency.

“By providing the cost at a minimum level provides us with a mature debate about the funding of schools.

“If the Welsh Government was to ask us to provide more, we would be able to provide this; if there are additional requests there would need to be a change of funding.”

Of the list of 92 schools in Powys, 25 will now see a worse funding settlement.

To make sure no school goes over a financial cliff edge, the new formula will see a two-year transition period.

Director of education Ian Budd said: “It’s entirely appropriate and necessary that we have a transitional arrangement for two years so that those children that have embarked on examination courses in Years 10 and 11 have the resources to see those course through.”

Powys County Council, on average, spends £6,456 per pupil, which is the highest figure in Wales.

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