Petitions opposing the closures of schools in Powys will not help save them, campaigners have been told.
On March 16 , Cllr Iain McIntosh created a petition, asking Powys County Council to re-scrutinise the proposals to close Cradoc primary school, Mount Street Juniors & Infants Schools, Llanfihangel Rhydithon primary school and Llanbedr Church in Wales primary school.
The proposals would then be brought in front of a full council meeting and have cabinet members consider the will of the council over the plans to close these schools.
On March 3, councillors voted a new petitions scheme for Powys, which meant petitions of 500 signatures are referred for a debate at a full council meeting or senior officers are called to provide evidence to a scrutiny committee.
With the petition already well over the 500-signature threshold, many will expect that it will be discussed after the May elections, but the council has warned this may not be the case.
A spokesman for Powys County Council said: “The petition scheme comes into effect on May 5, but the scheme excludes ‘matters that have already been through a public consultation process statutory or otherwise'.
“As all school closures have been through a consultation process, the petition scheme cannot be used to have a debate in council on school closure matters.”
The spokesman also points to the supremacy of cabinet in this matter rather than the full council, following a decision which came into force on January 23, 2020.
He said: “In view of the fact that having full council meetings is not a legal requirement as part of the transformation of schools, and hence does not bring anything to the process, and with the importance that we make best use of staff resources and don’t waste money.
“Council agrees to remove the requirement for full council to meet to discuss school closure and/or mergers rather to use the other meetings and opportunities that form part of the legal processes.”
In December, Cllr McIntosh resigned from the cabinet during a live online meeting.
This was after the Independent/Conservative cabinet had voted to merge Cradoc primary school, which is in his Yscir ward, with Mount Street Infant and Junior Schools in Brecon.
An eventual move to a new build school in Brecon will see all three sites close.
While remaining a Conservative he is no longer a part of the official Powys council Tory group.
The petition already has 882 signatures.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here