Schools merger has 'created deep rifts'
By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter
It means that both Dyffryn Banw County Primary School and nearby Llanerfyl Church in Wales Foundation School will close on August 31, 2020 with the new Church in Wales school to be opened at the Dyffryn Banw site the following day.
The issue has lingered on as councillors debated what the best option would be. At the time Llanerfyl was the bigger school, but in recent weeks nine pupils had moved from there to Dyffryn Banw, meaning that it now has 32 pupils compared to 20 at Llanerfyl.
Cllr Aled Davies, finance portfolio holder, lead the process, as education portfolio holder, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander, is the local member and a school governor at Llanerfyl.
A letter from the chair of Llanerfyl Governors, Rhian Owen, read out at the meeting indicated that the process had created deep rifts in the community.
She pointed that it was Dyffryn Banw that had started the school closure process due to a lack of pupils and stressed Llanerfyl governors “had not agreed to the school closing”.
At the original meeting in July 2018, when Dyffryn Banw was supposed to be chosen to close, Cllr Davies had put both schools into the mix of options for the consultation.
Ms Owen said: “This has wrecked a Welsh community and has very likely destroyed the future of Welsh education in the valley. Llanerfyl governors have been in discussion with Caereinion High School with a view to a merger.
“By coming to the aid of another school we have been manoeuvred into a situation which is none of our making. The partnership with the high school provides us with an opportunity to rebuild from this situation.”
Cllr Aled Davies responded: “Much of the issues raised have been addressed. I did not fundamentally change the recommendations but gave the option of considering both sites.
“The consultation was very clear, the overwhelming majority, over 80% of respondents said one school for the valley was the right option and a clear majority that the site for the new school should be at the Banw site.
“This recommendation will not preclude any closer working relationship with the high school, in fact primary schools working with secondary schools to share resources is encouraged.”
Portfolio holder for Adult Services, Cllr Stephen Hayes, added: “I find the letter from the (Llanerfyl) chair of governors quite saddening, this has clearly been a long drawn out process, and caused ill feeling.
“It will take a lot of hard work to get the communities working together.
“The suitability of the Dyffryn Banw premises for future development is a significant point and the better facilities that it offers at the moment has been outlined in the report.”
During the consultation held last autumn it was found that 83% supported merging the existing schools with 14% against.
Out of a total of 229 responses 61% wanted to see the new school established at Dyffryn Banw with 35% against.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|