For the first time today, a Welsh Council is set to buck the trend and change its strategy to support Village Schools. A report being presented to Conwy's Customers Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting this afternoon (Bodlondeb, Conwy 2pmTues 19th ) recommends that the County should amend its Schools Modernisation Strategy to recognise the value of Welsh-medium Village Schools. The report recommends a new range of options to take this into account and to respond to the needs and wishes of local communities. Here is the text of the proposed change to the strategy ( Section 6.5 - to be added )"The Authority recognises the vital role our Village Schools undertake within our rural communities to maintain the local culture, language and way of life. When considering the options for future school structures within our rural areas, the Authority will balance educational needs with community development, investment and support needs."The changes come as a response to Public Consultation and a further addition (section 3.2.1) proposed to the strategy states that the consultation meetings were "invaluable" and that "rural communities expressed very strong views that the village school is vital in ensuring the continuance of a thriving, vibrant community life and in maintaining and developing the Welsh culture, language and heritage".Cymdeithas Organiser in the north, Osian Jones commented:"Today the Council will light a beacon of hope for the children and Welsh-speaking village communities of Conwy. Today, communities such as Llangwm, Ysbyty Ifan, Penmachno, Capel Garmon and Ro-wen will realise that the Council has actually listened to them and is on their side rather than plotting against them as happens in other counties in the north. A wide range of positive options have been set out to meet the needs of different communities."

Mr Jones added:"We congratulate these people on their loyalty to their communities and to the future of their children. We are proud that Cymdeithas yr Iaith has played a small part in the process through the series of meetings which were organised during and after the 70-mile March in the summer through many of these villages. We call on other Local Authorities now to follow the example set by Conwy so that other communities can experience the same hope for the future."