Parents have campaigned to keep their village schools open

Three rural mid Wales primary schools face the final hurdle on Thursday in their bid to remain open.

Powys Council meets at Llandrindod Wells to decide on their fate after the education committee threw out their own education director's recommendation that Libanus, Trecastle and Langurig schools should face the axe and their pupils be transferred elsewhere.

They are under threat following a review of the county's primary schools which found they are too big for the number of pupils they serve.

The education committee made their decisions despite warnings of a large increase in council tax or the loss of other services if these schools and nine others in the county remain open.

The report said that Llangurig, Libanus and Trecastle primary schools should be closed by 2005 while those in Llandinam and Llansilin should be reprieved.

We have been battling to keep this school open for the last nine years... all we want is to get on with the job of teaching children Libanus head teacher Angela Reed

More consultation was planned on two other small village schools - Llangedwyn and Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

In total 12 rural primary schools in Powys will find out on Thursday if they have won their fight to stay open.

Ernie Jones, head teacher of Llangurig school said after the 3 November meeting : "Although I am delighted by this result we must battle on until the full council backs our fight to stay open.

Parents and Welsh assembly members had demonstrated at County Hall before the committee met and made their decision.

Angela Reed, head teacher at Libanus school, near Brecon, said the staff were shell-shocked by the news that councillors had supported their campaign to keep the school open.

"We have been battling to keep this school open for the last nine years and all we want is for the education authority to leave us alone so we can get on with the job of teaching children."

The dispute has been running for months

Dorothy James, chairman of the children, families and lifelong learning committee which overturned the recommendations, warned that when the full council meets members would have to consider the effect of next year's budget allocation.

"The allocation looks grim and we are aware that although it costs an average of �2,345 to educate a child every year at a Powys primary school, it costs �6,000 at Libanus school and �8,000 at Trecastle."

Referring to the full council meeting, Montgomeryshire MP, Lembit Opik said: "We're not out of the woods yet because there's still potential for the decision to be changed.

"We must now make sure this decision isn't reversed."

In total the fate of 12 rural primary schools in Powys will be decided at the council meeting.

All are under threat following a financial and reorganisation review which recommended closure of schools designated as too big for the small number of pupils they serve.