Hundreds gathered to protest against school closure plans

Parents lobbied council offices in Caernarfon, where the creation of eight new area schools and the merger of some smaller schools was also discussed.

Councillors blamed "scarce resources" and "demographic changes".

One parent, Julie Bowen, from Llanystumdwy, accused the council of "killing the way of life".

Gwynedd's children and young people's scrutiny committee met on Thursday and supported the proposals "in principle".

Without the school the village will become a holiday ghetto - totally dead and sterile Tessa Elliot, parent

The plans will be referred to the executive board and full council before being put out for consultation.

Councillor Dafydd Iwan said communities could not "remain as they were a hundred years ago".

He added: "The strategy does include closures, nobody likes that, but we have scarce resources and we must look at the bigger picture."

Strategic director of development, Iwan Trefor Jones, said: "We are trying to ensure that the county's primary education is on a firm foundation.

"I understand this is emotional work but we have to realise that demographic changes are happening."

Parent Julie Bowen said: "It's a sad day for the village. We are very disappointed by Gwynedd's Council's decision."

Gwynedd council says falling pupil rolls means schools need to close

The village's school - once attended by former Prime Minister David Lloyd George - is on the list of proposed schools to close in 2012.

Speaking on the same day a statue of Lloyd George was unveiled in Parliament Square, London, Ms Bowen added: "There won't be any celebrations in Llanystumdwy."

Another parent, Tessa Elliot, who has a daughter at Ysgol Borth-y-Gest in Porthmadog, said: "Without the school the village will become a holiday ghetto - totally dead and sterile.

"We still have not been given an adequate reason for closing it."

Speaking before the meeting, John Allport, who has three children at Ysgol Borth-y-Gest, said: "We are just amazed that the school is on the list in the first place because with 80 pupils it is full to capacity, and where are they all supposed to go if it closes?"

Resignations

There has also been political reaction. Councillor Simon Glyn resigned from the Plaid Cymru group, and he called on council leader Richard Parry Hughes to stand down from his position.

Mr Glyn, who represents Tudweiliong on the Lleyn Peninsula, said he was incensed by the way the issue of rural school closures in Gwynedd was being handled.

Gwynedd's education portfolio holder, Penri Jones, also resigned his post, claiming the reorganisation plans did not reflect the feelings of local people.

Gwynedd Council said the proposals followed a dramatic fall in pupil numbers over the past two decades.

The authority said it would make the best use of facilities, instead of maintaining 2,400 empty places, and invest �30m in the development of eight new area schools.