Welsh Conservative MS James Evans says the decision to go ahead with the closure of a Powys school is "devastating" - but opposition members have accused him of not doing enough to fight the closure.

Speaking yesterday Mr Evans said it was the "wrong decision" to close Llanfihangel Rhydithon Primary School in Dolau, as councillors decided to issue a formal statutory notice at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, September 28.

The closure is being put forward as part of Powys County Council's wide ranging education reform plans.

It is expected that the school would close on August 31, and it would save the council £59,000 a year.

"I was absolutely devastated to learn a short time ago that Powys County Council have voted to continue with the closure of Dolau School. This is the wrong decision for our communities," said Mr Evans.

"Powys have got this wrong. I've written urgently to the Minister for Education Jeremy Miles to set out the calling in procedures to the Welsh Government.

"I'm going to be on the phone to education officials at Powys County Council to see what we can do to try and get this decision overturned."

However Jane Dodds, the Welsh Liberal Democrat MS for Mid & West Wales says Mr Evans simply needs to pick up the phone to one of his Conservative colleagues in order to avert the closure.

"While I welcome Cllr Evans’ support of Dolau, I would like to remind him he is not without significant influence himself," she said.

"Mr Evans remains a county councillor who is part of Powys County Council’s ruling coalition of Conservatives & Independents, in addition to double-jobbing as the local Senedd Member.

"I would suggest he picks up the phone to his Conservative colleague Cllr Phyl Davies, who holds the education portfolio and is responsible for the program forcing the school to shut and more forcefully demands the closure plans are halted."

In a statement yesterday, Cllr Davies confirmed that the statutory notice was set to be issued early next month.

During April and June 2021, the council carried out a seven-week consultation on the proposal.

"We would like to thank all those who took part in the consultation exercise for this proposal," he said.

"After carefully considering all the consultation responses, Cabinet have agreed to continue with the proposal by publishing the statutory notice formally proposing the closure of Llanfihangel Rhydithon C.P. School."