School closures: Pledge to save Bodffordd community centre

Campaigners fear closure of the school in Bodffordd could put the future of the community centre in doubt

Council leaders on Anglesey have pledged to work with villagers to ensure a community centre survives if the neighbouring primary school closes.

Pupils at Ysgol Bodffordd would relocate two miles to an expanded Ysgol Corn Hir as part of a £16m shake-up of schools in the Llangefni area.

Officers said they would work to ensure the viability of the community centre.

They also pointed out that facilities in the new Ysgol Corn Hir would also be available for community use.

The fate of the community centre is one factor behind opposition in Bodffordd, along with the school's role in supporting the Welsh-speaking nature of the village.

However, a report to Anglesey's ruling executive said: "The council would want to work with local community groups in Bodffordd to ensure the long-term viability of the community centre so that the present provision could be maintained.

"Any activities where the numbers involved would be greater than the capacity of the centre could be hosted in the new Ysgol Corn Hir."

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The reorganisation, designed to cut running costs and solve a maintenance backlog, would also see Ysgol Talwrn merging with Ysgol y Graig nearly two miles away.

Similar plans last year fell foul of Welsh Government measures designed to save rural primary schools from closure by considering all alternatives.

Officers said they were confident all other avenues had now been explored, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Anglesey's ruling executive voted to trigger six weeks of formal consultation with the general public, to be followed by a final decision expected in March.

Meirion Jones, the councillor responsible for education, urged all interested parties to share their view "so that we get the best possible responses", insisting that no final decision had been made.