MACHYNLLETH could get a brand new £20m school to replace Ysgol Bro Hyddgen by 2020 if a bid for Welsh Government funding is successful.

Councillors heard the news at a meeting of Machynlleth Town Council last Monday, when Powys County Council’s senior manager for schools transformation, Marianne Evans, informed them of the progress of the application for money from the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools programme.

Mrs Evans told councillors that she had hoped to be able to deliver the good news that the bid had been successful, but was unable to because a panel meeting due to take place on the Friday before had been cancelled.

But Mrs Evans said she was positive the county council, which will match any money the Welsh Government commits, had done enough to be able to secure the funds for the new school, which will maintain the current school’s ‘dual stream’ — primary and secondary — education.

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t be successful in our application,” she told councillors. “There is a lot of pressure on the Welsh Government to spend the money they have for the schools programme, and we are coming to the end of that now.

“Also, the problem with Ysgol Bro Hyddgen’s secondary school building is that it is not in a very good condition. If we are successful, the next stage is then to put a package together, and to enter into tender for the design and build. If everything goes to plan, we would want the school to be open by September 2020.”

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