Llancarfan school row sees councillor quit Vale of Glamorgan council

A by-election will be held to replace a councillor who resigned in a row over a primary school's alleged "closure".

Matthew Lloyd, a member of the ruling Conservative group in the Vale of Glamorgan, has quit in protest at a decision to move Llancarfan Primary School to a new building in Rhoose.

Mr Lloyd, who represented Rhoose, said local views were not fully considered.

The council is run by the Conservatives as a minority administration, with the support of one independent councillor.

Mr Lloyd's resignation leaves the Conservatives with 22 of the 47 seats on the council and could affect the balance of power.

Council leaders have said the current school premises in Llancarfan are not fit for purpose, that the majority of its pupils come from outside the village, and new housing in the Rhoose area meant a new school was needed to cater for a growing population.

Campaigners who object to the move say it would spoil the village ethos of the school, and claimed the consultation exercises had been a "sham", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They claimed the move to a new 210-place building in Rhoose effectively meant the "closure" of the current Llancarfan Primary School - something the council has denied.

Mr Lloyd had tried to challenge the October decision on the grounds that the cabinet had failed to consider a committee's call for further talks with the local community.

Nominations for candidates to replace him must be submitted by 16:00 GMT on Friday. If an election is contested, a poll will be held on 14 February.