Ysgol Pantycelyn appeal bid fails (From South Wales Guardian)

Ysgol Pantycelyn appeal bid fails

7:10am Wednesday 1st August 2012 in News

A LAST-DITCH move by campaigners fighting to save Llandovery’s Ysgol Pantycelyn has failed in London’s Court of Appeal.

The Ysgol Pantycelyn Action Group has been trying to get Carmarthenshire county council to reverse its decision to close the school -– but Lord Justice Maurice Kay refused their request for a judicial review.

The Victorian school will now merge with Llandeilo’s Ysgol Tre- Gib to form a new ‘superschool’ at Ffairfach.

The decision was described as “excellent news” by county council leader Kevin Madge .

“This project has been delayed for almost a year,” he said.

“We can now press ahead and build this new school and give Dinefwr children the best education money can buy.”

Education director Rob Sully revealed it was hoped the move would be rubberstamped by Education Minister Leighton Andrews next month.

But Llandovery mayor Jill Blud said protesters were “devastated” and claimed the move was a done deal.

“YPAG, the town council and the people of Llandovery have fought this to the end,” she added. “We went into this thinking we at least had a chance.

“These young children are going to have to travel 20 miles to school – who’s going to manage 250 kids at a bus-stop?”

Chief executive Mark James said £20m works to modernise Amman Valley Comprehensive and Ysgol Maesyryrfa were ongoing.