Primary schools threatened with closure have been given a stay of execution by Anglesey council officials.
This morning, the council’s executive was expected to rubber-stamp the closures of Ysgol Beaumaris and Ysgol Talwrn, and a small demonstration against shutting the schools was held outside the council headquarters in Llangefni.
But the education portfolio holder instead asked for a delay until new consultations are carried out in both areas – a process that’s expected to take several months.
Opposition members have questioned the decision to consult for a third time on the closure of Ysgol Talwrn, which council officers have blamed on an administrative technicality.
Ysgol Talwrn currently has 43 pupils – close to its capacity of 49 – but was expected to shut and have its pupils moved to an extended Ysgol y Graig in nearby Llangefni.
But the authority’s monitoring officer recommended another public consultation should take place, as the consultation report had not been published within 13 weeks of the previous consultation ending.
In response, Cllr Bryan Owen, leader of the Annibynwyr Mon opposition group, said: “There’s something not right if we have to go out for the third time and consult in the Llangefni area once again. This can’t be fair on staff and parents in not knowing what’s happening next.”
Education chief Cllr Meirion Jones also asked members to defer any decision on Ysgol Beaumaris in order to give local campaigners the chance to outline alternative proposals to keep the school open.
The town’s school currently has 50 pupils on the books but a capacity of 160, with the authority expected to ask parents to instead send their children to Ysgol Llandegfan or Ysgol Llangoed.
Cllr Jones confirmed, however, that the new consultation would look at an alternative proposal of shutting Ysgol Llangoed, as an alternative to the town of Beaumaris losing its only school.
Cllr Lewis Davies, who lives in Llangoed but has been steadfast in his opposition to shutting Ysgol Beaumaris, said that, as one of the three councillors for the Seiriol ward, he was being put in “a very difficult position”.
“I’ve been supporting all the schools in the ward, so the decision made today will make it a bit difficult for me as I back all three being kept open,” he said.
The other councillors for the ward, Carwyn Jones and Alun Roberts, also said they wanted neither Beaumaris nor Llangoed to be shut.
Cllr Roberts said: “I’m pleased with the decision today. None of the three schools were given a fair shout in the last consultation and I hope the correct decision will be reached next time.”
Cllr Jones added: “I will certainly be speaking up for both Beaumaris and Llangoed schools.”
Earlier this month, Anglesey’s corporate scrutiny committee had urged the executive not to close Ysgol Talwrn and to “pause and review” on the future of Ysgol Beaumaris.
Speaking after today’s meeting, Cllr Meirion Jones said: “There was unfortunately some slippage during the consultation period, and as a result we were not able to publish the consultation report within the specified deadline. We will now revisit the consultation process.
“In terms of the Seiriol ward, we will take into account comments received from Estyn; members of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee; Friends of Ysgol Beaumaris and other members of the local community in preparing a new consultation document which will focus on whether to close Ysgol Beaumaris or Ysgol Llangoed.
“No one wants to close a local school, but we have to move forward with the schools modernisation process and these are the stark choices we now face.”
Article originally appeared on Daily Post
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