THE Welsh Language Society, Cymdeithas yr Iaith, has welcomed a promise by Welsh Education Secretary Lynne Neagle to keep rural Welsh language schools open.

Ms Neagle met the group on Wednesday, saying that in any consultation process all other options must be considered before closing a rural school that is on the government’s list in the School Organisation Code.

She said that the implementation of the plans was not a “box-ticking exercise.”