I, like many, was shocked last week when we learnt the extent of the so-called ‘schools reorganisation programme’ proposed by the Conservative and Independent county council cabinet, writes Jane Dodds MS.

According to the Conservative portfolio holder for education in Powys, Cllr Phyl Davies, the ideal size of a school in Powys is 210 pupils made up of seven classes of 30 pupils.

Yet we know that only four of the 78 primary schools in the whole of Powys currently have 210 pupils or more.

This has rightly set alarm bells ringing across Powys, with many now fearing their school will be next to face closure under the reorganisation programme which is increasingly looking like a rural schools hitlist.

There is no excuse for this, rural schools are the beating heart of communities across Powys and the threat of closure hanging over them by the Conservative and Independent administration is a threat to our way of life.

When rural schools are shut, it leads to a greater decline in the local community they served, contributing to an ageing population and the eventual loss of other local services.

The threat to our schools comes at a time where the rise of homeworking and a revaluation of city living in the post-pandemic era may actually lead to the repopulation of many towns and villages.

With those with young families identified as those especially likely to make to move back to rural areas, the plans by Powys council could lead to a situation in which these communities cannot support young families returning.

Most worryingly, I have still yet to hear a reasonable excuse from the Conservatives on why they are targeting rural schools for closure.

The claim being branded around by Council Bosses that small schools cannot deliver the new curriculum have not been backed by any evidence and I have received correspondence from Cllr Phyl Davies on November 1 where he states this is not the case.

With only four out of 78 schools meeting their own criteria the Conservative and Independent cabinet urgently needs to reassess.

I am proud that the Welsh Liberal Democrats will continue to do what we have done for hundreds of years and stand up for rural communities and schools, with the Lib Dem council group pledging to stop all rural school closures if they take control of the council.