Anger over schools' merger plans

Campaigners opposed to plans to merge two Ceredigion schools are to lodge an official objection with Education Minister Jane Hutt.

Ceredigion Council has voted in favour of merging Cardigan junior and infant schools, which share a campus.

They have different head teachers and governors, and the council said the retirement of one head was an opportunity to bring them together.

Ms Hutt will have the final say once the objection is lodged.

Ceredigion Council said it wanted to appoint one head for both schools, which care for children aged between four and 11.

Rhian Owen, a parent and vice-chair of Cardigan Infant School, said the merger would create a school with 350 pupils.

"The majority of parents do not welcome it because they are worried about the size of the school," she said.

"The merger would make it one of the largest in the county, and we feel this creates no substantial benefits."

Councillor Emlyn Thomas, who is responsible for education, said: "The head teacher of the junior has retired so we feel this is a good time to bring the schools under one roof, so to speak.

"The schools need to move forward because they are the only ones of their type in the county."

As for the size of the new proposed new school, he said it would be no larger than others in Aberystwyth and in areas around Wales.