Uncertain future for village schools
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
Over 40 people turned up to Llanerfyl Village Hall to give their views on the consultation process which will see Llanerfyl Church in Wales School or Dyffryn Banw County Primary School close due to falling pupil numbers. The area is one of the heartlands of the Welsh language in Powys.
Earlier this week, around 100 people attended a consultation event at Dyffryn Banw County Primary (CP) School in Llangadfan.
Back in July it had been expected that the Powys Cabinet would decide to close Dyffryn Banw with pupils transferred to Llanerfyl, which is two-and-a-half miles away. But the cabinet has asked for a public consultation to take place.
If Llanerfyl is chosen, then it is possible that Powys County Council (PCC) could apply to the Welsh Government’s 21st Century schools programme as £1 million is needed to upgrade the site.
Chair of Llanerfyl School Governors, Rhian Owen, said: “I did pop in to the consultation evening but I’m not sure how many people turned up.
“The process in itself is creating anxiety. You have to accept that there’s a process to go through.
“A lot of work has already gone into this and we know at the end of the consultation there will be more work to do before a decision is taken.”
When asked if she was unhappy that the school had been plunged into the consultation when the PCC Cabinet had seemed to prefer to keep Llanerfyl instead of Dyffryn Banw, Mrs Owen replied: “If the decision had been taken without a consultation then the council might have had people complaining. This is the situation we’re in and it’s difficult for everyone involved.”
The school building in Llanerfyl is owned by the Priscilla Foster Trust. On behalf of the trustees, the Rev Jane James, said that they are happy to support the proposal to establish a new Voluntary Aided Church in Wales school in Llanerfyl. The Dioceses of St Asaph has also backed having a new school in Llanerfyl.
Meanwhile, Dyffryn Banw Chair of Governors, Richard Tudor, said: “It’s important that we are given this opportunity to have our say and both schools have the same opportunity. A level playing field is what we wanted.
“I know whichever school is picked, the numbers of pupils will be around 50 to 60 which is the critical mass that you need for a school. And there is enough room at this school to cater to those numbers.
“A few children from the area have gone to schools in Meifod or Llanfair Caereinion due to the uncertainty of what’s going to happen to both schools.”
There are concerns that the process is causing friction between the two communities and Llangadfan resident Lyn Williams, who was at the consultation, said: “Councillors are paid to make decisions like this, they should not be pitting areas against each other.”
The consultation comes to an end on November 5. Following the consultation, a report will be produced gauging the feedback from the consultation.
The Cabinet will then consider that report and will decided on a course of action. This is expected to take place in early 2019 and a statutory notice will be published giving people 28 days to raise objections to the decision.
It is expected that a final decision will be made by the end of the 2018/19 academic year.
The consultation has one main question:
To establish a new school either at:
a) on the current site of Banw County Pirmary school or
b) on the current site of Llanerfyl Church in Wales Foundation School
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