John Parkinson claims the delay will cause pupils stress

On Thursday, Powys councillors voted by 33 to 27 to defer a decision until the local authority's scrutiny committee have conducted further investigations.

Llangedwyn school, which has 49 pupils, will close if the county council gives the go-ahead for a bigger area school at Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

But Llangedwyn's head teacher John Parkinson has said that a survey of parents there shows most live outside the new school's catchments area and none of the pupils would attend the new school.

This protracted procedure is causing further stress to the children of both schools John Parkinson, head teacher

"This whole debate has become a contentious issue with apparently no councillor wishing to take responsibility for making a decision," said Mr Parkinson.

"This protracted procedure is causing further stress to the children of both schools.

"To refer it back to the scrutiny committee to get the information which should have been presented to the council at the outset has caused further frustration and anxiety within the Tanat Valley."

Last month the council's education committee voted for a different option of building a replacement school at Llanrhaeadr, which has 73 pupils, to enable Llangedwyn to remain open.

But that decision was overturned by the council's board, which is backing a move to close Llangedwyn school.

A Powys Council spokesman said: "During the debate some members felt that issues involving the Welsh language, faith and financial implications had not been addressed in the report put before them.

Parents could refuse to take their children to the area school

"Consequently the matter was referred to the scrutiny committee for further investigation."

Llangedwyn school governors claim that only six of its 49 pupils live in the catchments area of the new school.

This would mean that only about 80 pupils would attend the new 120 pupil capacity school, they say.

Head teachers of both schools have supported the "replacement" school option for Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant which would cost £1.7m,

The schools were among a dozen in Powys threatened with closure under a review of primary schools last May.

Nine schools were saved last November but a decision on the schools at Llanrhaeadr and Llangedwyn was deferred.