The fate of 36 pupil Llanfihangel Rhydithon Primary School has been sealed as councillors voted in favour of closing it next year.

The means that the planned closure of the school, also known as Dolau, which is between Llandrindod Wells Knighton and Presteigne, will go ahead on August 31, 2023.

Back in July the cabinet had agreed to delay in closing the school for a year.

This extra time would allow investigation to take place on whether the school could become Welsh medium.

At a meeting of Powys County Council’s Cabinet today (Tuesday) councillors were given the findings of the investigation into the Welsh medium option.

School’s transformation manager Marianne Evans said: “Our advice as officers is clear that establishing Welsh medium education at Dolau is not viable.

“It doesn’t meet the aspiration in the council’s WESP to develop Welsh medium provision in Powys’ main centres of population in order to stimulate demand.”

Ms Evans said: “High quality Welsh medium education is available locally at both Ysgol Trefonnen (Llandrindod Wells) and Rhayader Church in Wales primary schools with places available.”

Powys County Councillor for Llangunllo and Norton which includes the Dolau area, Cllr Deb Edwards said: “It’s been a tough long running fight, the school is very much the community’s proud strong beating heart.”

She explained that the delay had given the community hope.

Cllr Edwards said the community had “embraced” the opportunity of looking towards the future and providing a “steppingstone” for the Welsh language in East Radnorshire.

Cllr Edwards said: “I am very disappointed with the recommendations from Powys County Council’s Welsh Medium Education Forum claiming that Llanfihangel Rhydithon doesn’t fit into their vision as a location.

“This must rule out huge swathes of the county.”

Ithon Valley’s Cllr Geoff Morgan said: “The public want small school and our job is to do what they want which is to retain these schools

Chairman of the Welsh Education Forum, Cllr Elwyn Vaughan explained that the group is made up of Welsh language and education experts many of whom have campaigned for Welsh medium education for many years

Cllr Vaughan said: “This is an unusual situation; we welcome the support and genuine interest from families in the Welsh language.

“However, there were questions about sustainability and development of the provision in the long term as well as the effect on Trefonnen and Rhayader.”

He added that in East Radnorshire, developing Welsh medium education in Presteigne and Knighton are the preferred options.

“The people who make these comments do know what they are talking about,” said Cllr Vaughan.

Education portfolio holder, Cllr Pete Roberts was asked by cabinet member for caring Powys Cllr Sian Cox what had been the benefits of delaying the closure for the Welsh medium option to be explored

Cllr Roberts said: “That we’ve gained a clearer indication of what we need to do to stimulate interest and commitment moving forward with Welsh medium education.

“There was quite a clear lack of awareness of what Welsh medium education means.”

He added that in the future the council and its partners would need to “learn from this process” how to promote the benefits and opportunities associated with Welsh medium education.

Cllr Roberts said: “As much as I want to go forward with this proposal the evidence from our officers and advisors are saying this is not the time or the place to do that.”