Parents vow to fight on against school closure (From Western Telegraph)

Parents vow to fight on against school closure

Disappointed parents of pupils of Hermon village school have pledged to continue their fight against the county council's closure decision, which was endorsed by its children and families overview and scrutiny committee on Thursday.

After staging a peaceful protest outside County Hall and attending the meeting, they said they are seeking a judicial review of the decision and are applying for legal aid to engage a top barrister with educational expertise.

Meanwhile, local member Councillor Lynn Davies, who in an impassioned appeal to the committee accused the authority of 'blackmail' of local parents with the alleged threat of jeopardy to future development at Crymych, has tabled a notice of motion for the full council.

He submitted that it was wrong to close a successful school with 52 pupils and excellent results when land had been allocated in Hermon for 40 new homes for young people, and this view was endorsed by the leader of the protestors, chairman of the local Ysgol Meithrin, Mr Chris Thomas.

"There is a growing sense of awareness that small communities and schools are not having a fair hearing from the county councils and a feeling that we should be asking the National Assembly what is going on," he said.

"Council policy is undermining the sustainability of local communities, and calls into question the whole democractic system."

Director of education, Gerson Davies, said there had been thorough consultation of the proposal to rationalise the Preseli area school on the Crymych campus and the capital was available.

He did not agree the people had been blackmailed, or carried along on a tide of promises. The committee also endorsed the less controversial rationalisation schemes for Fishguard, Letterston and Tredafydd.