THE next step in closing two Cardigan area primary schools was given the go ahead by Ceredigion County Council cabinet on Tuesday (December 18).

A statutory notice to “discontinue” both Beulah Primary School and Trewen Primary School will be published.

The number of pupils attending the schools was 18 in January with a predicted number of half that in 2023, cabinet was told by Meinir Ebbsworth, corporate lead officer for schools.

The cost per pupil at Beulah is £7,607 and at Trewen £8,480, with the average cost in the county just over £4,000.

It is proposed that from September 2019 pupils will go to Cenarth Community Primary School instead of Beulah or Trewen.

Local member Cllr Lyndon Lloyd said it was a “very sad day” and a “very sad situation within the ward” with a dilemma of choosing which school to try to save.

Parents had produced documents including “interesting research into small schools” he added, asking that cabinet “respect the views of the parents.”

He said that despite an increase in properties in the area there had not been an increase in children with many people moving from England to retire, accusing the planning policy of “sabotaging Beulah.”

Council leader Cllr Ellen ap Gwynn said: “We do respect the opinions of others and we do listen but we can’t always do what they want us to do because of the financial situation.”

She added that Cllr Lloyd’s reference to ‘go forth and multiply’ was apt as “the only answer to get more children in schools is to get more children.”

Over-subscription of alternative schools had to be considered added Cllr Lloyd with reference to Newcastle Emlyn, which is in Carmarthenshire’s jurisdiction.

If the proposals were “stilled” said Cllr Lloyd there was a chance to increase the numbers at Trewen and save it while “sacrificing” Beulah School.

The notice will be published in the New Year and “it’s up to everybody with any interest to make clear their responses to the statutory consultation” added Cllr ap Gwynn.