EDUCATION watchdog Estyn will be publishing its report on Powys County Council’s (PCC) education service just after midnight tomorrow morning.

Estyn inspected the service in June and July this year.

PCC has received as draft report which has been seen by only a very select group of people.

Until the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election had taken place on August 1, purdah rules were being used to keep the contents of the draft report away from county councillors.

It had been seen only by chief executive Caroline Turner, the former head of education Dr Alec Clark who left Powys at the end of August, and his successor, Lynette Lovell.

Ms Lovell has temporarily taken over as PCC chief education officer and a search for a new head of service is due to start soon.

On Friday, August 2, Cllr Alexander, council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris (independent – Llangynidr) and Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee chairman, Cllr Peter Roberts (Liberal Democrat – Llandrindod South), were all told what is in the report.

The department has been in crisis this year having lost two senior officers in less than six months.

Earlier this year they lost their Director of Education, Ian Budd, who left due to a management shake-up which saw eight senior management roles axed.

The department also had their funding cut by £2 million, a political decision by education portfolio holder, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander (Independent – Banwy), to give £1 million to schools’ budgets.

Staff have publicly said that the department does not have the resources to cope with several school reorganisation projects including reorganising “post 16 education”.