A Crickhowell primary school is one step closer to shutting its doors for good after Powys County Council cabinet approved its closure in a meeting on Tuesday.

A consultation on the proposal to close Llanbedr Church in Wales School was carried out between April and June 2021.

The findings of the consultation report were considered by cabinet when the proposal to close the school was agreed.

The proposed closure is part of a wider Powys County Council initiative which is looking to reconfigure and rationalise the primary school provision in the county, as part of its Strategy for Transforming Education in Powys 2020-2030.

The council is now expected to publish a statutory notice formally proposing the change.

It will then be required to consider another report to conclude the process.

A spokesman for the campaign to save the school said “Yet again Powys County Council is forging ahead with proposals to close another small rural school with excellent educational standards despite the acknowledged major detrimental effects on the local community yet alone the children, parents and staff.

“Any concerns are dismissed with the stock reply of ‘Powys County Council are committed to improving learner experience and entitlement for all its children’ - yet doing nothing for our children.

“We would hope that the elected county councillors who make up the cabinet would have the courage to come out in the open and support rural communities thereby halting the destruction Powys County Council officers seem determined to forge ahead with.

“The pandemic has proved time and again that community is what keeps everything and everyone going yet Powys County Council does not seem to have leaned that lesson.

“It is heartening that our Senedd members James Evans and Jane Dodds and our MP Fay Jones have put aside party politics and stand beside us unlike Powys Cabinet members.”

Brecon and Radnorshire MP Fay Jones said: “James Evans MS and I are desperately disappointed by the announcement today of the decision to close Llanbedr Church in Wales Primary school. We have met the parents and governors a number of times and agree with them that the case for closing the school is weak. We both want to commend the campaign team who fought vigorously on behalf of the school and will be in touch with the local community to see how we can continue to support them going forward.”