Schools funding - Cymdeithas demand rethink on village schools

leighton-andrews1.jpgLanguage campaigners have called on councils to rethink their plans to close rural schools following a Welsh Government decision forcing local authorities to resubmit bids for new school buildings.Education Minister Leighton Andrews has announced changes to the 21st century schools programme meaning councils will have to find 50% of the capital cost themselves. Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (The Welsh Language Society) are now demanding a chance for Gwynedd and Ceredigion councillors to debate again the future of Ysgol y Parc and the primary schools in the Llandysul area.Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg's education spokesperson Ffred Ffransis commented:"Gwynedd and Ceredigion Councillors voted - by small majorities - for re-organisation plans involving the closure of Ysgol Y Parc near Bala and all the primary schools in the Llandysul area on the understanding that this was necessary to secure multi-million pound investments in these areas from the Welsh Government. Under the plan, Gwynedd and Ceredigion would only have to have found 30% of the capital requirement from itheir own funds. Now the Welsh Government have put all the applications on hold and asked those Councils who are willing to provide 50% of the funding themselves to re-submit applications.""This is a whole new ball-game and definitely not the proposal for which councillors voted. Worse still, there are rumours that Gwynedd Education Officers are now trying to rush through the Executive Board a brand-new decision that the Council should pay the total cost itself of expanding Ysgol Syr O.M.Edwards Llanuwchllyn so that they can move forward to issue an immediate Closure Notice for Ysgol Y Parc. The situation has changed completely, and elected councillors must be given an opportunity to discuss again the future of Ysgol Y Parc in light of the new circumstances. Officers must not be allowed to push this through undemocratically."