[lg policy] UK: Campaigners battling to save Flintshire's Ysgol Mornant from closure to stage protest

[Harold Schiffman]

 <http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/flintshire> Campaigners battling to
save Flintshire's Ysgol Mornant from closure to stage protest

   -
   <http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/campaigners-battling-save-flintshires-ysgol-10106291#comments-section>
   - 11:36, 22 September 2015
   - By Sarah Hodgson <http://www.dailypost.co.uk/authors/sarah-hogson/>

They say if the Picton school was to close it would cause 'devastating
damage' to the Welsh language and the community
Parents and supporters of Ysgol Mornant in Picton

Campaigners against the closure of a village Welsh-medium primary school
will stage a protest later this week.

Parents and supporters of Ysgol Mornant will rally together at the former
Point of Ayr Colliery in Ffynnongroyw
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/ffynnongroyw> on Thursday, September
24, in a bid to save the closure-threatened school.

Its future was cast into doubt in June as Flintshire County Council
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/flintshire-council> launched an
“informal consultation” into the Picton school as well as Ysgol Maes Edwin
in Flint Mountain and Ysgol Llanfynydd.

The decision came as the council battles to save £52.8m over three years
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/cash-strapped-flintshire-council-tipping-10024291>,
with chiefs warning that if the Welsh Government
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/welsh-government> does not provide
more financial assistance school budgets will be “significantly reduced”.
Protest

The peaceful protest will coincide with the official opening of the Point
of Ayr Colliery Memorial
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/memorial-honour-point-ayr-colliery-10101488>,
alongside the A548 Coast Road in Ffynnongroyw, which will be performed by
Delyn MP David Hanson.

The memorial will remember the many miners who selflessly toiled
underground at the Point of Ayr Colliery, until it closed in 1996.

John Wiltshire of Ffynnongroyw Mining and Village Heritage Group told the
Daily Post: “We are happy for supporters of the school to stage a silent
protest at the opening ceremony and have no objections.

“This is an issue that affects all of our community.”

Ysgol Mornant in Picton which is threatened with closure

Residents, parents, staff and former pupils say that if the school closes
it will cause “devastating damage” to the Welsh language and the community.

They say that if they lose the school, youngsters will have to travel seven
miles away to the nearest Welsh medium school Ysgol Gwenffrwd in Holywell
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/holywell> or face having to cross the
border to Prestatyn.

A spokesman for the campaign group to save Ysgol Mornant said: “We believe
the closure of Ysgol Mornant by the county council is ill­-advised and
wrong and would ultimately result in the death of the Welsh language in the
area.

“As things stand it looks to us that Flintshire
<http://www.dailypost.co.uk/all-about/flintshire> County Council are paying
lip service to the Welsh Government’s own language policy.”
Consultation

Council chiefs say the “informal consultation” into the three schools’
future is needed to reduce the county’s 2,172 surplus places and say the
schools met several “triggers” for review.

According to figures from January 2015, Ysgol Mornant had 48 pupils, while
Ysgol Llanfynydd had 42 and Ysgol Maes Edwin 66.

However, chief executive Colin Everett has previously stated that no
decision has yet been made over any of the schools, which could be closed
by September 2016.

More than 780 people have signed a petition against the closure, while the
campaign has also been backed by Llanasa Community Council, local county
councillors including Glyn Banks, as well as Sir y Fflint dros Addysg
Gymraeg (SYFFLAG) who were instrumental in saving Ysgol Terrig in Treuddyn
and Ysgol Gwenffrwd in Holywell.

A spokesman for SYFFLAG said: “We are going to fight to keep this Welsh­
medium primary school in this part of North Wales, and would urge everyone
who supports the Welsh language to sign the on­line petition.”

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/campaigners-battling-save-flintshires-ysgol-10106291


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