There have been strong protests against the school closures

Powys councillors threw out their education director's recommendation to close three schools despite warnings of a large increase in council tax or the loss of other services.

The report said that Llangurig, Libanus and Trecastle primary schools should be closed by 2005 while those in Llandinam and Llansilin should be reprieved.

More consultation was planned on two other small village schools - Llangedwyn and Llanrhaeadr-ym-Mochnant.

Although I am delighted by this result we must battle on until the full council backs our fight to stay open Ernie Jones, head teacher of Llangurig school

But following a demonstration by parents and Welsh assembly members at County Hall, in Llandrindod Wells on Monday, the education committee decided all the threatened schools should stay open.

The full council will make its decision on 27 November.

Grim

"Although I am delighted by this result we must battle on until the full council backs our fight to stay open," said Ernie Jones, head teacher of Llangurig primary school.

Angela Reed, head teacher at Libanus primary school near Brecon said the staff were shell-shocked by the news that councillors had supported their campaign to keep the school open.

"We have been battling to keep this school open for the last nine years and all we want is for the education authority to leave us alone so we can get on with the job of teaching children."

Dorothy James, chairman of the children, families and lifelong learning committee which overturned the recommendations, warned that when the full council meets members would have to consider the effect of next year's budget allocation.

How the councillors voted Libanus 7-6 to keep open Trecastle 7-5 to keep open Llangurig 10-4 to keep open Llangedwyn 10-3 to keep open

"The allocation looks grim and we are aware that although it costs an average of £2,345 to educate a child every year at a Powys primary school, it costs £6,000 at Libanus school and £8,000 at Trecastle."

Montgomeryshire MP, Lembit Opik said: "We're not out of the woods yet because there's still potential for the decision to be changed.

"We must now make sure this decision isn't reversed later on this month."

At Monday's meeting, councillors backed a plan to replace Glanrhyd, Gurnos, Cwmtwrch and Ynysgedwyn schools in the Ystradgynlais area and replace them with two new primary schools

The rural schools are under threat following a review of the county's primary schools which found they were too big for the numbers they serve.