22 Powys schools on closure list

Primary schools in Powys with fewer than 30 pupils could shut by next year, it has been revealed.

Powys County Council said today 22 schools were being looked at, some had already faced a review. Montgomery-shire MP Glyn Davies said it was the “blackest day for education” he could remember and feared the destruction of the county’s primary education.

It emerged today councillors discussed the possible closures in a private meeting yesterday and plan to release the names of the affected schools tomorrow.

The review has been brought forward from next year because council bosses said the small rural schools were no longer viable.

It is part of a wider shake-up of primary and secondary education in Powys.

The council has already started its modernisation process in Ystradgynlais where it will replace 10 primary schools with four modern ones and said it was “committed to continuing that process across the county”.

Councillor David Jones, the council’s board member for schools, said: “The council is committed to providing the best possible education facilities for our young learners through the schools modernisation initiative.

“When we approved the review timetable in July 2008 we also agreed that we would review individual small schools where pupil numbers are below or projected to fall below 30,” he continued.

“It is inevitable that school numbers will reduce, we have falling school rolls and need to develop an infrastructure that meets the needs of the next generation not the last.”

But the decision to target schools with fewer than 30 pupils has been criticised by Tory MP Mr Davies.

“I understand that Powys county council is facing very difficult spending decisions, but I cannot support such wholesale destruction of our network of primary schools,” he said.

“I have already spoken with the education portfolio holder and shared my concerns with him.

“We must ensure that detailed consideration is made of the position of every individual school,” he continued. This is just about the blackest day for education in Montgomeryshire that I ever remember.”

By Anwen Evans

View more: Mid Wales news, Powys news.

1
H. St. John Peasbody

January 19, 2011 at 13:22

Quite right. It is economically and socially wrong to operate a school with so few pupils.

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- Mat
  
  January 19, 2011 at 13:35
  
  So how far would you want your 5 year old child to have to travel (Twice a day) to get an education then?
  
  Report abuse
  - H. St. John Peasbody
    
    January 19, 2011 at 13:58
    
    As far as is necessary. We all make choices and if people choose to live miles from anywhere then they have to consider the consequences.
    
    Report abuse
    - Mat
      
      January 19, 2011 at 16:10
      
      But if you live somewhere where there is a primary school and it closes due to council cuts then you haven’t made that choice someone else has.
      
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2
john

January 19, 2011 at 15:02

‘Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies said it was the “blackest day for education” he could remember and feared the destruction of the county’s primary education.”
I thought most Tories were in favour of cuts?
Also Mr.Peasbody you’re assuming people choose to live miles from anywhere ,what happens if they are actually born in an area with a very small population and therefore have no choice but to travel miles to the nearest school?Pleases don’t say they should move either.

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- H. St. John Peasbody
  
  January 20, 2011 at 09:15
  
  Well, if people are born in an area with a very small population and we’re not allowed to mention relocation, there is a simple solution: the motor car.
  
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3
Andrew Brown

January 20, 2011 at 16:03

A ludicrously naive point of view from H. St. John Peasbody. The very idea that rural communities, be them in Mid-Wales or elsewhere, should simply relocate or commute to where services exist shows a massive lack of understanding of the situation. Most of Powys would be classed as rurally isolated and relies on services such as schools, post offices, rural transport etc. These services are obviously expensive but the social, economic and environmental impact of Powys residents having to move or travel to access these services would be huge. Where would the new jobs and housing come from for a start? Just look at all the problems accessing healthcare across the border for Powys residents. Unfortunately, the previous Chief Exec of Powys County Council shared the view that people should simply move to where the services exist and it appears that this is part of the Powys County Council culture.
Closing rural schools is just a short-termist solution being made by a group of councillors who are lacking the vision and innovation to strengthen small communities rather than destroy them.

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- Jenni
  
  January 21, 2011 at 15:11
  
  I totally agree, my son was educated at Franksbridge primary for 4 years & had the best all round education we could wish for. The children were like an extended family & as well as the normal subjects they learnt care & consideration for each other. We had no choice where we lived as the lack of rental property in the area dictated we lived where we could find a property.
  Cutting everything because its small is short sighted, our children deserve a decent education & despite councillors opinion they can still get that in schools with under 30 pupils. I wonder how many of the current councillors have children in primary schools currently!
  
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