The spectre of closure still hang a Powys primary school, a senior council chief has confirmed. At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Learning and Skills scrutiny committee on Wednesday, September 28, the future of Llanbedr Church in Wales School was discussed by councillors again.

The committee had received feedback on the recommendations they had made to the cabinet in June before proposals to delay both the schools closure by a year, were discussed by the new Liberal Democrat/Labour cabinet.

In July, the cabinet confirmed that Llanbedr would remain open for another year to allow a full review of the catchment area to take place.

The main thrust of the committee’s recommendations was to continue with the closure process.

Conservative Cllr Iain McIntosh, said: “There are parents, teachers and children who think that this ultimately means it won’t close.”

“It’s a bit confusing for people, the responses given (in the report) indicate that as it stands the school is ultimately going to close.”

He asked for this to be confirmed.

Liberal Democrat cabinet member for a learning Powys, Cllr Pete Roberts said: “We opted to postpone because there would be consultations that would take matters forward and see if something unknown comes up in the review.”

Cllr Roberts explained that to wholly abandon the closure proposal would mean that the entire process of consultations would need to start again if the decision to close the school is taken.

Cllr Roberts said: “If there is a different way forward as a result of these consultations, another paper will come before cabinet.”

He added that school governors understood this.

Speaking about Llanbedr and Dolau School near Brecon, which is also under threat, Cllr McIntosh asked again: “Are those schools going to close next year.”

Cllr Roberts replied: “I have no idea...That would mean prejudging the engagement and consultation processes that are about to happen.”

Interim director of corporate services, Emma Palmer said: “Unless cabinet makes a different decision to those that have already been made, the existing decision would be implemented.”

Cllr McIntosh: “It’s important that the parents and teachers at those schools are made aware of that as they think there’s a chance, they could stay open.”

Cllr Aled Davies added that the closure delay of a year was costing the council £360,000.

The original decision to close the schools had been taken by the previous cabinet with schools supposed to close on August 31.

The date for closure is now set for August 31, 2023.