Village school saved… for now!

By Elgan Hearn, Local Democracy Reporter

A local primary school on the border with Shropshire has been taken off the school closure list, for now.

It has been confirmed by Powys County Council that Ysgol Brynhafren in Crew Green is no longer part of the reorganisation process for the Llanfyllin/North Welshpool catchment area.

The school was brought up at a meeting of the council’s Cabinet this week as councillors discussed issues around border schools.

This was during a debate around a proposal to start the legal process of closing Ysgol Bro Cynllaith in Llansilin, which is on the Powys/Shropshire border near Oswestry.

Fears were aired that when a border primary school closes the pupils move to a school in Shropshire or Herefordshire rather than the Powys school earmarked by education officers to take them.

A spokesman for Powys council said: “We have reviewed the position of Brynhafren County Primary School and will not be bringing forward a proposal, at this time. However, we will continue to monitor the situation in the area.”

The area, which is close to the confluence of the Vyrnwy and Severn rivers, is prone to flood in periods of inclement weather which sometimes sees the road bridge at Llandrinio washed out.

The Powys county councillor for the Llandrinio ward which includes Crew Green is Conservative Lucy Roberts who said: “I understand that there were a number of factors contributing to this decision, including flooding of the B4393 which would make travel to alternative schools in Arddleen and Llandysilio difficult and potentially result in lost days schooling.”

The decision could also cause the need for the council’s education department to re-jig the “transformation” for the catchment.

Long term plans by the council had included building an area school at an unconfirmed site in the Four Crosses area which would have taken pupils from Carregyhofa (Llanymynech) and Llandysilio (Four Crosses) primary schools in the Llanfyllin catchment area. Arddleen and Brynhafren primary schools from the Welshpool catchment area were added to the idea.

In May, the council’s Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet agreed a £300 million school building programme for the next decade.

The new “area” school was included in the potential “pipeline” projects from years seven to nine which is from 2030/2031 onwards.

A spokesman for Powys County Council said: “Further discussions will take place with Arddleen, Carreghofa and Llandysilio schools to explore the possibility of establishing an area school.”