Closing Llanfihangel Rhydithon primary school could leave too much of Radnorshire without a school, councillors have been warned.

At a meeting on Tuesday, February 9, Powys County Council’s cabinet discussed the future of Llanfihangel Rhydithon primary school in Dolau, between Llandrindod Wells and Knighton.

The school is oversubscribed, with 37 pupils and a capacity for 36.

A report before the members said closing the school could save £59,000 a year.

But adult social care and Welsh language portfolio holder Cllr Myfanwy Alexander (Banwy – Independent), said: : “The thing that’s startled me looking at the map is the distance, that’s an awful lot of Radnorshire without schools in it.

“I would ask officers to assure me that this sort of strategic view of where we need to have education, has been taking into account here?”

Head of Transformation and Communication, Emma Palmer, said: “We have done extensive modelling to look at where every pupil lives, and also our forward projections .”

She added that the acceptable length of time it takes for children to  travel to school, had also been looked at.

The county councillor for the area, Cllr Hywel Williams, (Independent – Llangunllo) believed closing the school would have a bad affect on pupils education as well as the community.

Cllr Lewis said: “Llanfihangel Rhydithon school has an impressive performance record, having been rated good in all categories in it’s latest Estyn report, and classed green in the latest categorisation standards.

“It’s the only school situated between Crossgates and the English border.

“For the majority of pupils the closest school would be Crossgates.

“I would strongly challenge the report which suggests moving them to a school only classed adequate in it’s latest Estyn report, and yellow in the national categorisation standards.”

He added that young families were moving back into the area and that the projected pupil numbers in the report did not reflect the “picture on the ground.”

Cllr Lewis said: “The school is at full capacity but there is room to expand up to 49 places by converting a store room into a classroom.”

He also pointed out that the any moves to sell the building could involve “lengthy legal discussions.”

This is because the car park had been given to Dolau Recreational Association, which runs the village hall, on a 90-year lease.

Cllr Lewis said: “The school sits at the heart of a vibrant community, the sustainability of the village as a lively and proactive community is reliant on the retention of the school.”

Education consultant Geraint Rees told cabinet that there was “no scope for growth” at the school, and that the consultation into the plans would test such suggestions in the report.

The cabinet voted unanimously to start the statutory process of closing the school on August 31, 2022, with pupils transferring to their nearest alternative school.

In 2020/21 each pupil at the school costs £6,306 which compares with the Powys average of £4,264.