THE fight by two Abergavenny infants schools to stay open took another twist yesterday.

Monmouthshire county council's two Liberal Democrats, Councillors Duncan Anstey and Sylvia Heighton, have asked for the decision by the cabinet last week to close Croesonen and Park Street schools to be called in for reconsideration.

A spokesman said: "The decision by the cabinet must be considered by the select committee within 15 days who can advise no further action or refer the decision back to cabinet or full council for further discussion."

As reported in the Argus, the full council had voted in favour of keeping open the two schools. But four days later the cabinet decided the schools should close after director Phil Cooke said a new school on the Llwynu site would be uneconomic if both stayed open.

The cabinet endorsed the recommendations by the council that Darenfelin and Clydach schools should remain open, but Llanfoist, Llanover and Llanfair Kilgeddin should close, and pupils go to a district school at Govilon, where the primary school is to be expanded. The schools are to close under proposals in Monmouthshire county council's strategic review of primary education, which has come under fire.

The Rev Patrick Coleman is vicar of Llanover and a governor at the village school, which is one of the schools to be closed.

In a statement on behalf of the Llanover pressure group, he said: "The review did not, we believe, seriously consider the impact on pupils of travelling to Govilon."

Mr Coleman said the action group had sent a statement to cabinet member Councillor Rob Griffiths, which they hoped he would bring to the attention of the cabinet. Councillor Griffiths replied that he had made available the statement to other members but they agreed it contained no information at this stage that would lead them to change their decision.

Mr Coleman said the Diocese of Monmouth would be considering the possibility of providing Church school places at Llanover.

On today's letters page, Councillor Mike Smith, deputy leader of the council, says: "The cabinet decision to consult on proposals to close some schools was not an easy decision... the council came to a slightly different view on the issue of Abergavenny schools but the cabinet is driven by slightly different consideration."

Once the council has reached a decision , it must be considered by the National Assembly.