A GWENT MP is calling for a re-think on plans to close a primary school.

Monmouth MP Huw Edwards made the call after highlighting the fact that Torfaen education chiefs supported the construction of a nursery next to the school they now want to close.

The council has earmarked Ponthir Primary School for closure to combat a surplus of places in the primary sector.

But in 2001 they supported plans to build a private nursery next to the school and even said it would benefit the school.

A fall in the number of pupils on roll at Ponthir is one of the reasons given for closure but campaigners say the nursery will improve the situation.

The original planning report for the nursery in 2001 shows that was also the view held by the education department. It reads: "The nursery development is an important expansion of both nursery and childcare places in the area.

"The department believes the private/public partnership in this development will work greatly to the benefit of the local community and the future school roll."

MP Edwards said: "This is quite an extraordinary situation.

"It is revealing because if they believed that in 2001, what happened then?

"Officers must have been involved with the people organising it.

"It has been a convenient thing for the council to ignore in their closure plans.

"It is absurd to have a nursery opening in September and the school next to it closes the following September."

Construction on the 40-place day nursery began earlier this year.

Mr Edwards has now called on the education department to reassess the impact it will have on the school roll.

He has written to the council's chief executive demanding answers.

A Torfaen council spokesman said: "The news that the nursery has now finally been brought forward by the proposers is welcomed by the department and we fully support the development of the facility on the site.

"However the issues affecting Ponthir school are wider than those that may be addressed by any impact of the nursery.

"It is the case that there can be no guarantee that pupils from this privately-run and funded nursery would necessarily go to Ponthir school."