Dear All This morning Powys CC made the following announcement: "The Portfolio Holder for education has made four recommendations for discussion by Council and Cabinet. Essentially these are; That the proposal to close BHS and GHS and open a new school in Brecon for 11 – 16 with post 16 education being delivered by NPTC be “abandoned” and new recommendations for Brecon and Gwernyfed be developed in accordance with the Schools Re-organisation Policy by February 2017. That the Welsh Medium stream in Brecon be closed. That revised Outline Business Case be submitted to include a new build 11-18 campus in Brecon and improvements at Gwernyfed. That the Consultation Report and Responses Report be considered". What this means is that education at Gwernyfed has been secured for the foreseeable future. In their press release Arwel Jones is quoted as saying that “The communities have spoken and we have listened and are abandoning our plans for a single school on one site.” The Chair Gwernyfed HS comments that: We have every right to be pleased with this change of plan. There is no doubt that our well reasoned and well supported campaign has been a key factor in this recommendation to abandon closure plans. The communities of Gwernyfed should be proud of this achievement. However this is not the end. I note that a new report with draft recommendations for both Brecon and Gwernyfed High Schools is to be sought in accordance with the Schools Re-organisation Policy by February 2017. The chair is right because we cannot know what daft plan they will bring forward next and I have therefore writtent to the leader of the council (again) this morning as follows: "Dear Cllr Thomas I have this morning seen the council’s announcement and am pleased at the cabinet’s decision to "abandon its plan "to close Gwernyfed HS. Whilst pleased at this result, it was a plan that should never have been brought forward in the first place but glad common sense appears to have prevailed. However, I note you intend to bring forward further proposals and I hope your cabinet and officers will have learnt from the current experience that just turning up on the doorstep with a set of proposals dreamt up in county hall without a real dialogue with the school, parents and the community will again end "in tears". This time before drafting proposals, ask these three groups for their ideas and act accordingly. Do that and it will not only produce a better plan but help you manage education in a more appropriate way. Best wishes Cofion Gorau JOHN FITZGERALD" This is a significant victory but because Powys has a need to bring forward further proposals we may not have won the "war yet" so we all need to keep an eye on what they are up to. This petition was one of the significant activities that played an important in bringing about this result and I am personally grateful for all your support and for putting up with my idiosyncratic updates over the last 15 months. I will keep the petition page open until we know what Powys are up to next. With my grateful thanks JOHN FITZGERALD