The fight goes on, say Pantycelyn protesters (From South Wales Guardian)

The fight goes on, say Pantycelyn protesters

1:00pm Friday 17th August 2012 in News

CAMPAIGNERS striving to prevent the closure of Llandovery’s Ysgol Pantycelyn believe there is still “a small windowof opportunity”

to persuade Welsh Assembly chiefs to give the school an 11th-hour reprieve.

Despite seeing their bid for a judicial review rejected, members of the Ysgol Pantycelyn Action Group maintain a projected rise in Llandovery’s population over the next few years could yet force a rethink in Cardiff Bay.

“If it is true that Llandovery may be the location for 70 new houses and the fact that Llandovery has been chosen by the Prince of Wales Foundation as one of six towns for regeneration then the increase in the population may well justify the retention of the school,” said YPAG spokewoman Jeanette Jones.

“We hope that the delay in the school merger will give the Welsh Assembly Government time to rethink this project in the light of these developments,” she added.

She said that YPAG considered the Appeal Court’s decision to reject the hearing of a judicial review “disappointing and incomprehensible”.

She added: “We still maintain that this is an urban model being imposed on a rural community.

“We have received incredible and sustained support from Llandovery residents who have dipped heir hands deep into their pockets to finance this legal action. We have not given up the fight.

“There is still a window of opportunity to influence the Welsh Assembly, who have yet to finalise the decision, and the more who do this the better,” she said.

Anyone who is interested in expressing their views should write to Leighton Andrews at the Welsh Assembly.

YPAG is looking into further ways of fighting the closure.