Public consultation event as village primary school set to close this summer could be gifted to local community

A primary school in the Ceiriog Valley which is set to close this summer could be gifted to the community.

In a statement issued by Glyntraian Community Council, it is noted that Wrexham Council is willing to hand Ysgol Pontfadog and its grounds to the local community in the long-term.

It comes off the back of a meeting between the community council and Leader of Wrexham Council, Cllr Mark Pritchard and Lead Member for Education, Cllr Phil Wynn.

Earlier this month Wrexham.com reported that a legal bid to save the primary school from closure had been lost.

Campaigners had been trying to keep Ysgol Pontfadog in the Ceiriog Valley safe from closure following a controversial decision made by Wrexham council executive board members last summer.

The school, which has been in the village for more than 110 years, forms part of the Ceiriog Valley Federation along with Ysgol Llanarmon and Ysgol Cynddelw.

Despite fierce opposition from the public and more than 1,340 objections submitted, eight members of the executive board voted in favour of closing the school.

The decision was made due to what was described as a “drop in pupil numbers at both Ysgol Pontfadog and Ysgol Cynddelw schools due to a growing Welsh medium demand in the valley”.

But the decision was branded “shameful” and a “whitewash” by campaigners – with the previous public consultation process also described as flawed.

However there is fresh hope for the future of the building within the community, with Glyntraian Community Council stating that it is “committed to undertaking a robust and wide-ranging public consultation to gather ideas from as many people in the local community as possible interested in the future use and/or development of the school site.”

The statement adds: “All ideas for a community-led initiative to ensure the site is for the wider benefit of the community will underpin the consultation process.

“To this end, the first in a series of public consultation meetings with the community on the future of the school site will take place on Thursday 11th April at 7:30pm at Ysgol Pontfadog. All residents of the Ceiriog Valley are welcome to attend.”

Anyone who wants further information is advised to contact the community council clerk by emailing [email protected]