A proposed bailout of a secondary school in Conwy which faces a shortfall of more than £400,000 will come back to councillors at a special meeting next week.

Last month authorities at Abergele’s Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan asked the council for financial help, making it the third secondary school in the county to request assistance to deal with money problems.

For the next financial year, the school will fall short by just over £400,000 in setting a balanced budget.

As part of its money-saving plans, governors at the school agreed it should pull out of its service level agreement with the council to provide funding for a pupil referral unit for Key Stage Three and Four.

But councillors at a joint meeting of the education and finance committees asked for the school to reconsider withdrawing from the agreement.

Members had been told costs for the unit were 10% higher than any other secondary school in the county.

Schools in Conwy must set balanced budgets according to council rules, but they can ask to be let out of this requirement in extreme circumstances.

The school has a recovery plan for 2019-20, which includes savings of £601,774.63.

In 2018-19, the school accounts show a deficit of £411,640.

By the end of this financial year the school is projecting a deficit of £403,608.

A report to members of the committee said: “The costs in Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan from the service level agreement for the KS3 and KS4 pupil referral unit are much higher than other schools, as the formula takes into account the free school meal profile in this school.”

Another joint meeting of the education and finance committee will be held on Monday at Bodlondeb to review progress towards financial support and the future of the referral unit.