A petition to save doomed schools could forces a debate on the closures

A petition has been set up in a bid to save three primary school an infant and a junior school in Powys from closure.

Recent changes to the constitution voted through by Powys County Council’s earlier this month could see the school closures debated by councillors.

The petition has been set up by Cllr Iain McIntosh and will run until May 4.

In December Cllr McIntosh sensationally 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.

Cllr McIntosh said: “I have created a petition, asking Powys County Council to re-scrutinise the proposals to close primary schools in Powys, bring the proposals to a new full council meeting, and have cabinet members consider the will of the council over the plans to close these schools.”

If his petition is successful Cllr McIntosh’s suggestion has three stages to it.

The first is that after the council elections – all proposals to close the schools should be brought back to the new Learning and Skills scrutiny Committee to be reconsidered.

The second part would  see the new Learning and Skills scrutiny committee present their findings to a new full council meeting.

There, Cllr McIntosh believes, the opportunity should be given to all county councillors to express their views about each school closure by way of a public vote, either in approval or against, each proposal

The third stage is that the  new cabinet and whoever in it would then need to consider the results and decide what to do next.

A fellow Conservative – who is still an official member of the Powys Conservative group, Cllr Karl Lewis who represents Llandinam has backed the petition.

Cllr Lewis said: “I don’t believe in closing small schools.

“As long as they are performing well producing excellent educational outcomes they should be left alone to continue their good work.”

On March 3, councillors voted a new petitions scheme for Powys.

According to the changes: a petition of 500 signature is referred for a debate at a full council meeting or senior officers are called to provide evidence to a scrutiny committee if the petition asks for this.

Just a day after the petition was launched it had already garnered 476 signatures.