THE “death knell” has sounded for council plans to close a thriving Radnorshire primary school – according to a group fighting to save it.

Llanfihangel Rhydithon Community Primary School is one of several primary schools in Powys earmarked for possible closure by Powys County Council (PCC) from August next year. Consultation on the possible closure of the school, based in Dolau, near Llandrindod Wells, ended earlier this month.

But the Powys Liberal Democrats have dramatically called on the council to withdraw plans following a cabinet meeting on Tuesday that they say spells the end of PCC proposals. The party says Llandrindod South councillor Pete Roberts was assured by officers in Tuesday’s meeting that an upcoming engagement with various stakeholders over ambitions to transform education at Ysgol Calon Cymru would require a wider consultation on the primary provision in the catchment area of the secondary school – meaning the council has effectively initiated a review and that continuing with closure plans would be unlawful.

“When officers confirmed that the engagement with mid-Powys communities around the plans to create an all-through Welsh-medium school and an English medium high school based on the two Ysgol Calon Cymru sites would also include a wider consultation on the primary provision in the catchment they effectively initiated a catchment area review and sounded the death knell for their plans at Llanfihangel Rhydithon,” said Councillor James Gibson-Watt, the Lib Dems’ group leader on the county council.

The party’s view is that the reassurance given to Cllr Roberts at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting should spell the end of the current Llanfihangel Rhydithon closure plan. They, along with the Green Party, have written a joint letter to the education portfolio holder, Phyl Davies, outlining their views.

“By definition, if there is a wider engagement within the catchment, proposals may come forward which include retaining a provision on the Llanfihangel Rhydithon site,” added Cllr Gibson-Watt.

“This means the terms of the Rural Schools Policy in respect of this school have not been met and to proceed with closure would be unlawful.

“Given the huge amount of officer time and risk of judicial review this now entails I have today written to the portfolio holder urging him to withdraw the proposal on the table and refocus officer time into preparing the best possible engagement plan documentation for the entire Calon Cymru catchment so we can reach a solution that the whole community can buy into.”

Welsh Liberal Democrat leader and regional Senedd Member Jane Dodds agreed with the group’s conclusions but feels there are wider implications for the entire transformation programme.

“In setting up a catchment area engagement programme for Ysgol Calon Cymru the administration is failing to treat all Powys pupils, parents and teachers equally,” she said.

“As Cllr Roberts pointed out, the original discussion for the transformation included discussion and a presentation about the success of a multi-campus all-through school in Dolgellau.

“The new engagement will be able to debate this option for mid-Powys but parents in Llanbedr, Churchstoke and Castle Caereinion have been denied that opportunity. The transformation team should now go back to the drawing board and reopen dialogue with all communities so we can have an education reform that everyone is engaged with on an equal footing.”

In cabinet on Tuesday, it was agreed to hold an informal engagement later this year with key education stakeholders including learners, parents, governors and school staff over the future of Ysgol Calon Cymru, which operates shared campuses in Llandrindod and Builth Wells.

A preferred way forward identified last September includes operating a new 11-18 English-medium campus in Llandrindod and transforming Builth into a new/remodelled 4-18 Welsh-medium all-through campus.

“The current operating model at Ysgol Calon Cymru is neither educationally effective, financially efficient or sustainable,” said Cllr Davies.

“The condition of the Llandrindod campus in particular is very poor, while the Builth Wells campus also needs improvement and there is also a need to significantly improve the learning entitlement and experience for Welsh-medium pupils and expand the limited offer of provision currently available.

“We believe that the preferred way forward for Ysgol Calon Cymru will address these issues. This is a large-scale highly complex programme of change with significant investment, and we want to ensure that all stakeholders are able to contribute to the development of these plans.”

A period of informal engagement with stakeholders is due to take place in September and October.