Powys schools listed for closure are named

Eleven closure-threatened primary schools in Powys were today named by council bosses.

Powys County Council said it would be starting "informal consultation" with eight of the schools this spring with a view to closing some, if not all, within the next few years. The review of schools with fewer than 30 pupils has been brought forward from next year.

The council said it has done so because they were no longer viable

Aberhafesp Primary School, near Newtown, and Llanfechain Church in Wales School, near Llanfyllin, are among the 11 schools listed today for closure.

A further 11 Powys primaries, including those in the Ystradgynlais and Gwer-nyfed area, in Brecon, are being considered as part of a separate catchment area review.

The 11 closure threatened schools include:

• Aberhafesp, near Newtown.

• Llanfechain, near Llanfyllin.

• Castle Caereinion, near Welshpool.

• Dolfor, near Newtown.

• Pontrobert, near Meifod.

• Trefnanney, near Welshpool.

• Llangedwyn, near Oswestry.

• Llanfihangel Rhydithon, near Llandrindod Wells.

• Nantmel, near Llandrindod Wells.

• Cwmdu, in Crickhowell.

• Franksbridge, near Llandrindod Wells.

The council will now meet with governing bodies of the 11 schools for discussions.

Discussion with eight governing bodies is planned to take place during the spring term and the remaining three, which include Castle Caereinion, Llangedwyn and Franksbridge, will be discussed during the summer term.

Councillor David Jones, council 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.

"We have started the modernisation process in Ystrad-gynlais where we will rep- lace 10 ageing schools with four modern facilities and are committed to continuing that process across the county.

"When we approved the primary 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.

"A number of schools outside the current review timetable, which extends to May 2012, have reached a level where we need to consider their long term future.

"Closing a school is something that is never considered lightly but we have a duty to ensure our school network is capable of delivering high educational standards at a price we can afford.

"The schools have nearly 300 surplus places between them and reducing that figure will make up to £1 million in savings that can be reinvested in other schools."

By Anwen Evans