CHURCH leaders have defended their bid to have two seats on the board of governors at Bala’s new superschool (pictured).

The Church in Wales reaffirmed its full commitment to the new three to 19 Learning Campus in Bala last week, noting that the “vast majority” of seats on the board of governors would be non-religious.

The statement comes after Bala councillor Dilwyn Morgan’s recent “wholehearted appeal” to Church in Wales to “step back gracefully” and allow the school to have no religious affiliations.

As the formation of the new all through school included the closure of Church in Wales school Ysgol Beuno Sant, the church and county council agreed to allow a Church in Wales presence on the new board of governors when plans were first set forth.

The decision was met with outrage from a section of the Penllyn community who did not want any form of ‘faith school’.

A passionate statement issued by the Diocese of St Asaph’s director of education and lifelong learning, Rosalind Williams reads: “We were invited by Cyngor Gwynedd to be partners in this project and remain fully committed to providing the best educational opportunities for the children and young people of Bala, Penllyn and surrounding areas.

“We acted in good faith in responding to the request of Cyngor Gwynedd to be partners in their school reorganisation plans, which include the closure of three Church in Wales primary schools, offering a widely-valued education to 279 pupils.

“As part of the original process, Cyngor Gwynedd carried out a statutory consultation and all matters were considered and responded to, during the consultation. Cyngor Gwynedd’s officers recommended this Church School option and cabinet members voted for this arrangement for schooling in Bala and Dolgellau at their meeting in September 2015.

"We stand by the detailed work carried out by officers from Cyngor Gwynedd in response to all the objections in September 2015. Although this matter was discussed again by its Cabinet in December 2016, nothing has changed."

A report on the situation will be discussed by Gwynedd’s Council’s cabinet on 14 February.

Read the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News