A CALL has been made to save a closure-threatened Amman Valley school.

Neath Port Talbot Council's proposal to shut Ysgol y Glyn, in Lower Brynaman, is being opposed by Plaid's Parliamentary candidate for Neath, councillor Alun Llewelyn.

The council's Cabinet last week decided to begin consultations on closing Ysgol y Glyn and transferring pupils to Gwaun-cae- Gurwen Primary School.

The authority had been considering whether increased community use of the school would help secure its future.

Cabinet Scrutiny Committee member, councillor Alun Llewelyn, said: "I supported the approach of developing a community centre as part of the school.

"I was surprised at the conclusion of the authority's community impact assessment because it identified over 70 community groups in Brynaman, which must be unrivalled in Wales for a village of its size," he continued.

"Yet Lower Brynaman does not have a dedicated community centre of its own and organisations have to use a wide range of venues.

"It is premature to think of closing the school, and we should go the extra mile to establish a sustainable community partnership."

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He said he believed a partnership would help to share and reduce costs, and reduce the number of surplus places calculated in the school, which is one of the reasons given for closure.

Karl Napierella, council corporate director for education, leisure and lifelong learning, said "initial consultation" on the proposal to close Ysgol y Glyn and transfer pupils to Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr Gwaun-cae- Gurwen was under way.

"Comprehensive and inclusive consultation will now take place with all relevant stakeholders," he said.

He added: "An in-depth community impact assessment has already been carried out according to Welsh Assembly regulations which highlighted the extensive facilities already available within walking distance of YGG Y Glyn.

"The conclusion drawn was that there would be no adverse impact.

"It needs to be made clear that there are not 70 organisations based in Lower Brynaman alone, but these organisations are spread across Lower Brynaman, Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, Cwmgors and Tai'rgwaith and none of them use the school," added Mr Napierella.