SCHOOL FIGHT GOES TO SENEDD
PETITION OPPOSING ‘SUPER SCHOOL’ PLANS GETS 5,000 SIGNATURES
PARENTS of a closure threatened Anglesey school have collected enough signatures in a petition to force a debate in the Welsh Assembly.
Anglesey Council have proposed to close Ysgol Bodffordd which will now merge with Ysgol Corn Hir as part of a new multi-million pound “super school” in the Llangefni area.
The decision angered parents who have threatened to take legal action.
A petition calling on the council to reconsider was handed over to Rhun ap Iorwerth on the steps of Y Senedd during the National Eisteddfod.
Llinos Thomas Roberts, secretary of the school’s Parents Teachers Association, said 5,150 people had signed the petition.
She said: “There are 80 pupils at Ysgol Bodffordd which is a homely school with a strong community.
“The proposal to create a 350pupil school in town is against our wishes.
“The question of what happens to the community centre which is attached to the school and the strong nursery school which feeds the school are unresolved.
“We cannot understand why Ysgol Bodffordd cannot be part of a federal school and we believe the Council have not considered all possible options.”
Addressing the meeting Ffred Ffransis of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg said: “If the council can close a popular, full school like Ysgol Bodffordd, number one of the list of the Welsh Government’s rural schools then no school in Wales is safe.
“At Cymdeithas yr Iaith we have praised the Education Minister for giving new hope to rural schools but the decision of Anglesey Council to ignore the code entirely brings democracy into disrepute.
“They (Council) have ignored the process of public consultation, the opinion of parents and have even refused to consider the other options available that the law requires them to do.
“It is a direct challenge to the Minister who needs to respond otherwise all faith will be lost in the democratic process.”
Receiving the petition, Mr ap Iorwerth, who is also Anglesey’s AM, said he chairs the Welsh Government petitions committee and gave assurances he would bring the matter before the Education Minister.
A third school, Ysgol Henblas in nearby Llangristiolus, was also considered for closure but will now stay open under a possible federalization arrangement as long as standards targets are met by the end of 2018/19.
Anglesey Council officers are preparing a business case for the new 350-pupil school on the northern outskirts of Llangefni with an expectation that the Welsh Government will fund approximately half of the cost.