Whilst I may no longer be a Powys County Councillor I continue to take a keen interest at proceedings at County Hall.

You can imagine my shock to learn that the Conservative/Independent cabinet at Powys County Council continues to target small rural schools with the threat of closure.

Whilst I could write about each school separately I want to focus on Llanfihangel Rhydition School in Dolau.

This very school was targeted just a few years ago and was rightly allowed to continue.

Since then the community continues to show what this thriving small rural school means to them and this is shown by the latest Estyn Inspection Report outcome of good in all four categories.

I have just watched the recording of the pitiful cabinet meeting and I’m not surprised that no opposition was offered by cabinet members who instead voted unanimously to consult on the proposal to close the school.

At a time when we are all dealing with the daily changes in our lives during the Covid pandemic this Conservative/Independent cabinet shows a lack of respect to staff, pupils and parents during extraordinary circumstances who have been working hard during this extremely difficult period.

Whilst parents now have the added pressures of juggling home schooling and work cabinet members have the opinion that a public consultation of the future educational provision in the community is a reasonable decision. Shame on you.

It’s now time for opposition councillors to step in and propose a motion to council stopping this nonsense during such awful times. Get in touch, I’ll provide you with the wording.

Powys County Council needs to remember that he who pays the piper plays the tune.

Yours

Former Cllr Gary Price

Cydweli

Sir Gaerfryddin