Four primaries are facing closure

FOUR primary schools in Carmarthenshire face potential closure, a new report has revealed.

- RICHARD YOULE

Ysgol Pontiets, which is under threat of closure.

(GOOGLE Maps)

The council is proposing to shut Ysgol Llansteffan, Llansteffan, at the end of August 2026 and Ysgol Y Fro, near Kidwelly, Ysgol Meidrim, west of Carmarthen, and Ysgol Pontiets, Pontyates, at the end of December 2026.

Members of a council scrutiny committee were due to hear about the plans at a meeting yesterday.

The recommendation, as it stands, is to publish a statutory notice to discontinue Ysgol Llansteffan because it had fewer than 10 pupils during an assessment last year, and undertake a formal consultation regarding the three other schools prior to a potential statutory notice being published.

The four schools were identified as part of an overarching council strategy to modernise education which considered the following factors:

Extremely low pupil numbers;

High surplus of places and high number of pupils living within catchments who are attending other schools;

Projections suggesting that there is little likelihood of pupil numbers increasing sufficiently;

Deficit budget or projected deficit budget within the next financial year, resulting in unsustainable financial situation;

Unsustainable renovation costs due to the age of buildings.

Cllr Glynog Davies, cabinet member for education, said the strategy aimed to ensure a sustainable and balanced provision of education throughout the county.