JUST a week after vowing to push ahead with plans to save a closed village school and bring it into community ownership at a public meeting, the community group led project has been awarded seed funding of £12,000.

Alan Henson, chair of Cymdeithas Clotas, called the Welsh Government funding “very heartening news.”

“This first money will enable us to get a better idea of the potential costs as we prepare to discuss the purchase with the owner, Ceredigion County Council.”

The Welsh Government money has been awarded through the Perthyn scheme run by Cwmpas in support of community and co-operative ownership.

Ysgol Cribyn ceased being a community school in 2009. Cymdeithas Clotas was established to “counteract the educational and cultural loss to the community.”

In co-operation with Ceredigion, whilst the authority still used the premises by day, Clotas developed a programme of activities for week nights and weekends.

But now that Ceredigion no longer has daytime use for the building, Clotas has initiated a discussion with the council to try to enable the community to become full owners of Ysgol Cribyn.

“Our priority is to ensure that we hold on to this asset as a community,” Alan added.

“It has so much potential.”

Ceredigion County Council Ceredigion County Council spokesperson said it is “aware of the plans put forward by the community to retain the building for community use”, and “consideration is being given to an overall programme for the future use of vacant land and buildings.”