A DISPUTED projection of how many pupils could leave an independent school due to VAT on fees was made by a councillor, he has confirmed.

Reform UK councillor Stuart Keyte claimed in a council meeting as many as 60 pupils could leave Rougemont School, in Newport, due to the tax that has been applied since January. The school has said it isn’t seeing such a trend.

He has now confirmed he had calculated the estimate. Cllr Keyte said: “It wasn’t a figure I just pulled out of the air. I made an extrapolation potentially up to 60 could leave based on figures relayed (by the UK Government) to the courts.”

At Torfaen Borough Council’s April........

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