CAMPAIGNERS have vowed to continue fighting to keep Llanfihangel Rhydithon primary school open.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s cabinet on Tuesday, February 8, the Independent/Conservative councillors voted unanimously to close the school.

The primary school in an area known as Dolau, which is between Llandrindod Wells and Knighton, was sealed by councillors at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, February 8.

The school is set to close at the end of August which means that from September 1, pupils currently attending Llanfihangel Rhydithon will have to attend an alternative school.

The campaigners believe the vote was a foregone conclusion.

A spokesman for the Dolau Action Group said:

“The decision to close Donau does not come as a complete surprise to members of the school community.

“Throughout the whole consultation process both Powys education officers and cabinet, led by Cllr Rosemarie Harris and portfolio holder for education Cllr Phyl Davies have pushed a predetermined agenda of closure.”

“With all channels of communication with the council now closed, people of Dolau and the wider community have little option but to fight this shameful decision through the courts.

“A protracted and expensive process, with ultimately the final bill paid by the Council Taxpayers of Powys.”

“The fight to keep a thriving, flourishing, succeeding school open is far from lost, Powys County Council are in for a long fight.”

At the cabinet meeting the threat that the decision to close the school could be challenged by a judicial review was discussed.

It was revealed that the council has already asked barristers for an opinion on the issue.

The council’s head of legal and democratic services, Clive Pinney said:

“I can assure members that a judicial review is about process.

“We have engaged external barristers to advise us throughout in regard to the process so that we are as confident as we can be that our processes have met the challenges required of the school organisation code.

“Each and every decision is made on its own merits and is not predetermined.”

Council leader, Cllr Rosemarie Harris said: “Thanks for the advice.”