Gwynedd backs primary school plan

Hundreds of people protested against earlier plans

A planned reorganisation of primary school education in Gwynedd has moved forward a stage.

The council board has accepted a report recommending the authority adopts a detailed scoring system or 'matrix' when discussing the future of schools.

Councillors agreed that it was the best way forward as it offered "fair, transparent and measurable principles".

The next step will be for the document to be discussed by the full council in April.

Previous plans to reorganise primary education in the county were scrapped following last year's local government elections.

There was widespread opposition from parents, and the Llais Gwynedd group campaigned heavily against school closures.

Since then the matter has been looked at again from scratch, with a working group set up to gather information.

WORKING GROUP CONSIDERATIONS Class size over 30 or under 12 Degree of change in pupil numbers 1975-2008 Suitability of buildings and resources Problems of appointing head teachers Pupil movement across primary school catchment areas Cost per pupil Surplus spaces

The group has presented a report "Excellent primary education for the children of Gwynedd", which is going through committee at the moment.

On Tuesday the cross-party council board passed the report by a majority decision, with minor amendments.

Gwynedd's schools portfolio leader Liz Saville Roberts said the main long-term aspiration set out in the working group was that no Gwynedd child should be taught in a class of more than 25 pupils.

"The only way we can achieve this aim is by making better use of our resources and budget," she said.

"The framework which the cross-party working group has recommended will provide the council with a fair and measurable way of moving this crucially important process to the next level."

Approving the report would mean the council could "press ahead immediately with the work of discussing options with local people in those (secondary school) catchment areas where the need for change is deemed to be most evident".

During 2009/10 it is proposed that the council starts with the Tywyn catchment area, before moving to Y Berwyn (Bala), and Y Gader (Dolgellau).