A 600-strong member protest group has written to the leader of Powys County Council urging the local authority to ditch plans to close multiple primary schools in the county entirely.

Save Our Community Schools, established to fight the closure of numerous schools in the north of the county, claim an announcement by the council earlier this month abandoning plans to close three Montgomeryshire and expand one other, show their project is “now in tatters” and are questioning the credibility of the entire strategy.

Earlier this year, the council began the process to close Llanfechain Church in Wales School, Llangedwyn Church in Wales School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith, in Llansilin.

Powys County Council’s (PCC) cabinet had also agreed to start the development of a business justification case for a new extension to Llansantffraid Church in Wales School – to increase the school's capacity by 90 places following completion of a new extension.

However, in early December, the council announced plans were to be shelved following the findings of a feasibility study, which said it would not be able to accommodate new pupils.

At a cabinet meeting on December 21, the report into the future of all four schools was amended, clarifying that new plans for their futures must come forward by March 2022.

But Save Our Community Schools say the council’s entire ‘Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030’ should now be halted and reviewed.

“Save Our Community Schools calls on Powys County Council to withdraw the current plans to close primary schools,” said David Edwards, in an open letter to leader of the council, Councillor Rosemarie Harris.

“Our call is based on the combination of the lack of feasibility already presented, outstanding legal challenges and the absence of a clear alternative educational site/provision for many affected schools, as well as the strategy being in direct contradiction of the council’s own Local Development Plan and Climate Emergency policies.

“With the proposed extension of Llansantffraid’s primary school to absorb the planned closure of schools in Llanfechain and Llangedwyn now in tatters, following the outcome of a pointless feasibility study costing over £50,000 of taxpayers’ money, providing the obvious answer that such an extension is not feasible, surely the whole so-called strategy should now be halted and reviewed.

“It is obvious that these two schools, plus Llansilin, must now be withdrawn from the threat of closure, after some unnecessarily disruptive nine months.”

The futures of schools in other areas of Montgomeryshire like Arddleen, Brynhafren, Carreghofa and Llandysilio are yet to be discussed, while Mr Edwards believes already doomed Castle Caereinion Primary School, near Llanfair Caereinion, should get a reprieve. Churchstoke Primary School was saved earlier this year after a consultation had begun to close it.

In the south of the county, meanwhile, the decision to close Llanfihangel Rhydithon Community Primary School in Dolau, near Llandrindod Wells, has sparked outrage and yielded legal action. Llanbedr Primary School, near Crickhowell, is also under threat while the local authority brought the axe down on three schools in Brecon in December.

“There is also still no understanding of what the proposed alternative is nor where it is, let alone any form of feasibility study so the uncertainty continues to unsettle children, parents and teachers at a time when a pandemic alone should be more than enough to contend with,” added Mr Edwards.

“It is impossible for parents and residents to fully respond to any consultation without such vital information.

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“Most of the communities referred to are or will be seeing significant housing development, mainly family homes which will increase pupil numbers at each school so how can closure now be justified?”

Mr Edwards claims legal challenges being brought against the council in relation to proposals to close other schools across Powys and the fact that cabinet member Iain McIntosh resigned live online just seconds after his fellow councillors voted to push forwards with a decision to close a school in his ward in December are indicators that the credibility of the entire strategy is in question.

Cllr Phyl Davies, cabinet member for education and property, said: “It is clear from the findings of the feasibility study and the business justification case that we are not able to develop an extension to Llansantffraid Church in Wales School.

“Due to these findings, I will be recommending to cabinet not to proceed with the extension to Llansantffraid Church in Wales School and not to proceed with planned consultation on the closure of Llanfechain Church in Wales School, Llangedwyn Church in Wales School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith.

“I will also be recommending to cabinet that they instruct the transforming education team to bring alternative proposals for Llanfechain Church in Wales School, Llangedwyn Church in Wales School and Ysgol Bro Cynllaith without delay.”