Llangedwyn school has been saved from closure

The primary schools at Llangedwyn and Llansilin had been facing the axe under proposals to reorganise education in the area.

However, councillors have rejected a plan to merge the schools after months of deliberations.

Rather, they have agreed both can stay open on their existing sites.

Llangedwyn school, which has 49 pupils, faced closure under the county council's plans for a bigger area school at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

Llangedwyn's head teacher John Parkinson had previously argued that a survey of parents showed most live outside the new school's catchment area and none of the pupils would attend it.

The school's governors further claimed that only six of its 49 pupils live in the catchment area of the new school.

'Long fight'

This would mean that only about 80 pupils would attend the new 120 pupil capacity school if it was built.

Fears had risen that children numbers were dwindling, however, since 1997 the number of students attending Llangedwyn school has risen from 13 to 49.

Powys county councillor and chair of the education committee Michael Williams confirmed that the two schools would not close.

"It's been a long fight and I'm sure parents are very pleased indeed," he said.

However, the proposal for a new school in Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant has not gone away and the education committee's vice-chair, Dorothy James, said the community there are in "dire need" of a better school.