SCHOOLS in Powys face a massive £77 million maintenance backlog, the council's new cabinet has said.

The newly-installed Liberal/Labour coalition has said that initial discussions between the new cabinet and senior officers have revealed the scale of the backlog.

The cabinet said £47 million was needed for county secondary schools, and £30 million for primary schools.

“The startling figure will provide the incoming administration with major challenges while we implement the Progressive Partnership Agreement and accelerate the delivery of the Transformation Strategy that provides a more sustainable future for our schools and communities,” said council ;lader Cllr James Gibson-Watt.

Cabinet member for a learning powys, Cllr Pete Roberts, said: “It is clear that successive cabinets have not taken the decisions needed to address the deterioration in Powys’ school estate, especially in the secondary sector, and some tough decisions lie ahead in dealing with this major problem.”

Cabinet member for finance and corporate transformation, Cllr David Thomas, added: “These are startling figures and the most concerning aspect is that this is just the schools backlog.

"Figures on other service areas are awaited and what the figures confirm is that the Progressive Partnership’s plan to review the council’s current capital programme is all the more urgently needed.”

A school transformation programme was already under way in the county, which had proved controversial with a number of rural primary schools in line for closure.

Welshpool is currently seeing a new school building project, with the old Grade II listed Ysgol Maesydre building refurbished to accommodate early years and community facilities, with a new extension built to include a new school hall and classrooms. The new Welshpool Church in Wales Primary School welcomed its first pupils last year.

Elsewhere schools in Llanfair Caereinion and Machynlleth have begun the process of becoming all-age schools in recent years.