Carmarthenshire council to shut Ysgol Meidrim and Ysgol Y Fro by December
The decision was taken at a full‑council meeting on 14 October, when a majority of councillors backed the closures despite vigorous opposition from parents, governors and local representatives.
Carmarthenshire County Council has voted to close Ysgol Meidrim and Ysgol Y Fro at the end of December, adding the two rural primaries to a growing list of schools deemed financially unsustainable.
The decision was taken at a full‑council meeting on 14 October, when a majority of councillors backed the closures despite vigorous opposition from parents, governors and local representatives.
Ysgol Meidrim, situated north of St Clears, currently educates 22 pupils, while Ysgol Y Fro in Llangyndeyrn has had no pupils on its roll since September.
Plaid Cymru councillor Jean Lewis, who has campaigned to keep Ysgol Meidrim open, warned that the loss “will leave a huge impact for generations to come”.
She added that the school had only last week staged a concert for elderly residents, underscoring its role in the community.
“Once a school like this has closed there is no turning back the clock,” Lewis said, echoing concerns that rural families may be deterred from settling in the area.
Deputy leader Councillor Hazel Evans acknowledged the “overwhelming majority” of respondents who opposed the closure, noting the “passion shown by governors, parents, Cllr Lewis and the wider community”.
“These views deserve our respect and consideration,” she said, before stressing the council’s statutory duty to provide high‑quality education within a strained budget.
Financial pressures were laid bare when the council revealed Ysgol Meidrim is projected to finish the current financial year £123,968 in deficit.
Cabinet member for resources Councillor Alun Lenny highlighted that the county has 3,500 empty primary places and 22 primaries with fewer than 50 pupils, describing Ysgol Meidrim as “literally half‑empty”.
Independent councillor Crish Davies warned that decisions driven by years of funding cuts risk eroding “something to distinctive to the fabric of our society” that rural schools provide.
Labour councillor Kevin Madge argued that “smaller schools were paying the price”, pointing to the broader issue of school deficits across the authority.
Independent cabinet member Jane Tremlett suggested pupils moving to larger schools would gain new opportunities, including team sports and “friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime”.
Council leader Linda Evans conceded that “the days of a school in every village or every other village unfortunately are coming to an end”, citing the difficulty of sustaining breakfast or after‑school clubs in tiny schools.
During the same meeting, councillors also voted to close Ysgol Y Fro, which has had no enrolment for months, with the proposed shutdown date set for 31 December.
Plaid Cymru ward councillor Meinir James said the lack of pupils reflected parental uncertainty about the school’s future.
Ward councillor Tyssul Evans remarked he would have abstained from the vote had he been present, fearing that supporting closure would feel like “betraying” his constituents.
Plaid councillor Darren Price described his reaction to Labour’s abstention on the Ysgol Y Fro vote as “flabbergasted”.
The council also disclosed early‑stage proposals to shutter four additional primaries – Ysgol Blaenau, Ysgol Pontiets, Ysgol Carwe and Ysgol Bancffosfelen – by the end of December 2027, signalling a longer‑term review of the county’s rural school network.
With the December deadline looming, parents and community groups are preparing appeals, while the council maintains that any alternative options presented by governors cannot guarantee a rise in pupil numbers.