Welsh council faces year-long wait to close school with no pupils

Carmarthenshire County Council has been told that it cannot legally close a school that has no pupils.

The village school at Ysgol Capel Iwan will have to stay open for up to a year without pupils while the council undergoes a statutory consultation process laid down by the Welsh Assembly Government for school closures.

This will cost the council £55,000 for the remainder of this financial year plus any costs that run into the next one, a spokeswoman said.

Problems began when seven of the 12 pupils left for secondary school this summer and the parents of the remaining five chose to move their children elsewhere. Meanwhile no new pupils applied to the school.

The consultation process requires consideration by assembly government education minister Leighton Andrews if any objections to the closure are raised.

Meanwhile the school must continue to employ a head teacher in case any pupils do join the school. The spokeswoman said the head had been redeployed to other duties for the local education authority but remained ready to return if any pupils appeared.

The school must also retain a caretaker and full governing body.