Protesters gather as council consults on plan to shut four Welsh-medium schools

Four rural Welsh medium schools look set to close next year. Ceredigion Council's cabinet has agreed to a consultation on shutting Ysgol Llanfihangel y Creuddyn, Ysgol Craig yr Wylfa in Borth, Ysgol Llangwyryfon and Ysgol Syr John Rhys in Ponterwyd in the face of dwindling pupil numbers.

Scores of people opposing the plans protested outside the council offices and some went into the meeting holding placards. Campaigners accused the council of treating parents and residents “as obstacles”.

Welsh language campaign group Cymdeithas yr Iaith said it will now lodge a formal complaint with Education Minister Lynne Neagle claiming the council has gone against the Welsh Government’s School Organization Code. You can read more about the reasons the council gave for wanting to close the schools here.

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Ceredigion Council has warned the schools are no longer financially or educationally viable. Ceredigion Council's cabinet was told that collectively the schools have deficits of more than £50,000 and just 90 pupils between them.

Opposing the plans, Cymdeithas yr Iaith campaign group said: "Why would Plaid Cymru councillors start a process to close Welsh-medium schools which are succeeding academically in buildings which are still viable? Too many Welsh-speaking communities have already been lost."

After the cabinet meeting on September 3 Ffred Ffransis, from Cymdeithas, accused the council of treating parents and residents who were present "as obstacles to be defeated instead of seeing them as partners in community regeneration". He vowed the campaign group would fight to keep the schools open.

He said: “With so many communities in the county already on the brink in terms of the Welsh language, can we afford to lose these schools, which are community centres and which ensure that the Welsh language continues as a living language? The Welsh Government’s School Organization Code clearly states that all options other than closure must be considered while proposals are still at a formative stages, with a presumption in favour of maintaining rural schools.

"No one can seriously claim that this process has been adequately carried out by Ceredigion Council, as the formative stage of the council’s policy - which concluded that closure was the best option - took place behind closed doors. Cymdeithas yr Iaith will submit a complaint that the council is not fulfilling its duty, has breached the School Organization Code and has acted with presumption in favour of closing schools.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We strengthened the School Organisation Code in 2018, introducing a presumption against the closure of rural schools, and a list of rural schools designated for this purpose. A presumption against closure does not mean that rural schools will never close, but the case for closure must be strong and the decision not taken until other alternatives have been considered.

“We can’t comment on closure proposals, as we may be required to determine them at a later date.” Ceredigion Council was approached for comment.