COUNCIL plans to spend over £260,000 on an extension at Ysgol Comins Coch would not have been necessary if education chiefs hadn’t pushed through the closure of Ysgol Cwmpadarn, councillors have said.

Ceredigion Cabinet members supported the council dedicating £264,000 toward the extension, with a funding bid for the same amount from the Welsh Government, after hearing that youngsters taking music lessons often have to be taught in a corridor and there being no staff room.

The council report says the school currently doesn’t have enough toilets to meet regulations and has no dedicated staff room, with youngsters at times taught in corridors.

But Llanbadarn Fawr councillors Paul James and Gareth Davies have hit out, saying that overcrowding at Comins Coch was a direct result of the council’s decision to close Cwmpadarn School in December 2015.

Cllr James, who addressed that council meeting and warned about future housing developments and rising pupil numbers, said despite assurances from senior council officials, the need for an extension showed that closing Ysgol Cwmpadarn had put greater pressure on the school at Comins Coch.

Cllr Davies added: “How has this situation been allowed to happen?

“There must be health and safety issues because of lack of toilets and also Disability Discrimination Act issues.

“Is there spare capacity in other local schools as Cllr James and I were informed that there were when the decision was made to cease providing education at Cwmpadarn school?”

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