A 'CALL IN' on a decision by Cabinet members not to close a school in Monmouthshire has been dismissed by the council's Select Committee.

Llanfair Kilgeddin was saved from closure thanks to a majority Cabinet vote at Monmouthshire County Council, earlier this month.

Govilon, Llanover and Llanfair Kilgeddin faced the axe in a review into falling rolls and 400 surplus places at north Monmouthshire primary schools.

However the anglican school Llanfair Kilgeddin was saved at Monmouthshire County Council's cabinet and will now not be considered for potential closure in the review.

Councillor Brian Hood moved that Llanfair Kilgeddin should not go forward to 'informal consultation'. He said it was the only voluntary aided school in the north of the county.

However, last week, councillor Christine Walby, Govilon ward, Jim Higginson, the leader of the opposition and Tony Eason for Caldicot requested to 'call in' the decision.

Following the 'call in' Cabinet member Brian Hood said he couldn't understand councillor Walby's actions. He said, "She did not do anything about it, she could have spoken in the meeting but she wasn't even there. She would have been if she was really upset."

Councillor Walby claims his comments were "inaccurate and irrelevant."

She said, "Very few Councillors attend Cabinet anyway because they are essentially in an observer capacity; I attend quite often but as it happens I was away all that week, and more to the point as I am not a Cabinet Member. I was not entitled to speak anyway. All I could have done is put down a question to the Cabinet 24 hours before the meeting. As neither I nor anyone else, except perhaps other members of the Cabinet, could have possibly known beforehand that they were going to throw out the recommendations made in a report from a working group chaired by their own Leader and attended by other Bryn Y Cwm members of the Cabinet. How could I have asked a question before they did it? Yes it is true that I am unhappy about the decision to move to consultation about the possibility of closing Govilon School. However, with Governors, parents and the community in Govilon we will address the arguments against that decision during the consultation period in the proper way; as I am sure will Llanover School. Then the Welsh Assembly Government will make a decision based on the facts. However, the reasons for the Call In of the Cabinet decision are perfectly rational and I'm sorry that Councillor Hood can't accept that."

•MCC want to hear the views of anyone who may be affected by the review. You can write to Monmouthshire County Council, Lifelong Learning and Leisure Directorate, FAO Debbie Morgan, Access Unit (School Planning), County Hall, Cwmbran, NP44 2XH. Visit the website at http://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk">www.monmouthshire.gov.uk or e-mail [email protected]">[email protected].

A public meeting will be held at Llanover Primary School on Monday, June 1, staff at 4pm, Governors and parents at 5pm.

Govilon Primary School's meeting will be on Tuesday, June 2. Staff at 4pm, Governors at 5pm, parents at 6pm.

Other affected schools in and around Abergavenny on Wednesday, June 3 at 5pm to be held at Llanfoist Fawr Primary School. The informal consultation is from May 21 until June 5.