Campaigners backing music services in Ceredigion have said they are pleased with the county council’s handling of changes to the service.

The Friends of Ceredigion Young Musicians have been calling on the council to ensure that the music service continues to give youngsters the chance to learn and perform music, and have said that while there are still concerns about the changes, Ceredigion council had handled things well by taking a “flexible approach”.

While the group has been in talks with councillors and council officers about the service changes, they said that there had been fewer staffing changes than expected with new delivery of lessons being trialled in limited areas initially.

Around 1,000 youngsters are receiving peripatetic music lessons and fundraising from the Friends of Ceredigion Young Musicians has meant that 12 new instruments have been donated to the service.

Angharad Fychan, the secretary of the group, said: “Our primary concerns about the changes to the service were that cutbacks would make accessing lessons more difficult, due to increased charges for parents and the possibility of having to travel further for lessons, in addition to the potential loss of teaching staff due to changes in their terms and conditions.

“We welcome the flexibility that the council has shown in implementing changes at the start of this new school year."

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