Denbighshire legal battle set over Ysgol Rhewl closure

Plans to close a village primary school in Denbighshire are set to face a legal battle.

Opponents of the council proposal have taken on a lawyer in a bid to keep Ysgol Rhewl, Ruthin, open.

Since its closure was announced, pupil numbers have dropped to below 30, but campaigners said there is no adequate alternative while plans to build new homes in the area would boost numbers.

A council spokesman said it reviewed sustainability of schools in the area.

Pupils are due to move to new schools on the town's Glasdir site being built to replace the existing Rhos Street and Ysgol Penbarras premises.

However, because the new facilities on the Glasdir site will open later than planned, the council delayed Ysgol Rhewl's closure until August 2018.

But Mike Denman, former chairman of governors, said: "By law, the authority has to offer like-for-like provision and Ysgol Rhewl is classed as a bilingual school.

"The new Rhos Street School is English and Ysgol Penbarras Welsh."

Last year, the council abandoned the merger of Ysgol Pentrecelyn and Llanfair DC school by the council after protests.

Since that move, campaigners at Ysgol Rhewl have begun action.

A council spokesman said Ysgol Rhewl proposals were "made in the context of the wider Ruthin area review taking into account the suitability and condition of school sites and surplus places".

He added that a consultation took place before the local authority's cabinet decided to close it in September 2015.