Powys teachers protest over education cuts

About 200 people have taken part in strike action in Powys in protest over "excessive workload and cuts".

Teachers marched from Llandrindod High School to county hall holding banners and chanting.

The National Union of Teachers (NUT) said the strike was on behalf of children "whose right to a good education is being undermined."

Powys council's cabinet member for schools, Arwel Jones said he was disappointed by the union's action.

The authority is consulting on plans to reorganise secondary schools in the mid and south of the county.

Councillor Jones said schools are facing "major challenges" and that strike action would "not deflect their programme but could disrupt the work of school pupils at a crucial time."

Nineteen Powys schools have been affected by the strike - six are fully closed and 13 partially.

NUT organiser Cai Jones said the turnout for the march was "wonderful," with parents and children joining the teachers.

"We walked through the centre of town and the community really got behind us," he said.

"People came out of their shops to show their support and cars beeped as they passed."

The teachers handed a list of their demands to Powys council at county hall and met in Llandrindod Pavilion afterwards to discuss the changes they want to see.

People held "education cuts don't heal" banners on the march through Llandrindod