Concerns raised over falling rolls and school reorganisation plans across south Pembrokeshire

A CALL for a temporary “breathing space” before any decision is taken on the future of a Pembrokeshire village school at possible risk of closure has been rejected at full council.

At Pembrokeshire County Council’s meeting on Thursday, December 12, members considered a major package of recommendations linked to education reorganisation in the south of the county. The proposals form part of a wider transformation programme responding to sharply declining pupil numbers across the Tenby, Saundersfoot and Stepaside areas.

Under the plans, councillors were asked to authorise a public consultation on establishing a new 3-19 all-through school in Tenby, initially operating across split sites. The long-term ambition is either to rebuild or significantly extend the Ysgol Greenhill site, or potentially relocate to a new site altogether. As part of this process, both Tenby Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School and Ysgol Greenhill would be discontinued.

A second set of recommendations proposed establishing a new 3-11 primary school on the Saundersfoot Community Primary School site, with both Saundersfoot and Stepaside schools discontinued.

The supporting report highlighted major surplus capacity in the area’s schools. In the Tenby cluster alone, there are 534 empty places in the primary sector and 341 in the secondary sector. Tenby Church in Wales VC School is forecast to have a surplus of 38.1 per cent in 2025, remaining above 25 per cent for at least four years. Ysgol Greenhill, with space for 1,194 pupils, has just 877 on roll this year, creating a 28.5 per cent surplus.

Saundersfoot Community Primary School, which can accommodate 280 children, had fallen to 151 pupils by 2025—a 49.2 per cent surplus. At Stepaside, enrolment is projected at 107 pupils in 2025, leaving 101 places empty—over half the school’s capacity.

For the Tenby proposals, an amendment by local member Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall was accepted, ensuring the consultation explicitly recognises the value of VC schools and the importance of Welsh-medium secondary education. Members overwhelmingly backed the amended recommendation.

However, an amendment on the Stepaside proposal sparked a lengthy debate. Local member Cllr Alistair Cameron, backed by neighbouring councillor Alec Cormack, urged councillors to defer any decision relating to Stepaside, saying the school had only been officially notified of the proposals a few days earlier.

Cllr Cormack said it was accepted that the current position was unsustainable, with pupil numbers falling “both due to second homes and retirees moving into the area”. He stressed that both Saundersfoot and Stepaside were well-run schools, but “just too small for the buildings we have them in,” and suggested that reducing the size of the sites could eliminate surplus space.

“Today’s proposal is to close the Kilgetty site to save money and then spend money bussing pupils to the Saundersfoot site,” he said. “It’s only natural justice to give the school communities the chance of a fair hearing. There’s no reason to rush this decision today.”

Cllr Aled Thomas, chair of the schools working group, dismissed the call for a delay as “a consultation to have a consultation,” saying the proposals had been “in the public domain for well over 12 months”.

“Members, of course, are going to fight for their communities but this is just a tactic pushing it further down the line,” he added.

Cllr Cormack responded that the school itself had heard about the recommendation only on Monday. “The very people who are expert at delivering education have had no warning of this. I don’t understand why there is a need to press ahead so quickly. The communities deserve to be given more than three days’ notice.”

Cabinet Member for Education Cllr Guy Woodham told members there was no intention to hold any consultation before September 2026, stressing there would be “a lot of time for alternative proposals”.

Cllr Cameron’s amendment to defer the Stepaside decision was defeated by 37 votes to 12, with one abstention later clarified as an accidental mis-vote intending to oppose the delay. The substantive recommendation was then approved by 42 votes to seven.

A PROPOSAL for the reinstatement of a salt tip in North Pembrokeshire to improve road safety during snowy and icy conditions has been put forward by local councillor Huw Murphy.

At the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr Murphy called for a review of the council’s current weather strategy, highlighting the need for an auxiliary salt tip in the north of the county. His motion, which was supported by senior councillors, aims to address the challenges faced by motorists during severe winter weather.

Cllr Murphy’s motion emphasized the importance of having a reserve salt tip available to ensure primary routes remain clear and accessible during snow and ice conditions. This would allow emergency services to respond to calls, key workers to reach their workplaces, and essential vehicles like HGVs to access farms for activities such as milk collection.

Historically, a salt tip was located near Crymych, which proved invaluable for gritting roads, particularly the A478 between Crymych and Cardigan, and between Crymych and Clunderwen. These roads, often treacherous during snowy weather, have caused difficulties for HGVs, coaches, and school buses in the past.

The proposal stresses that a new salt tip in Pembrokeshire would allow for quicker and more regular gritting, making roads safer for all users, especially during the harshest winter conditions. Cllr Murphy also highlighted that recent heavy snowfall exposed weaknesses in the current gritting strategy, particularly in the northeast of Pembrokeshire and the Preseli Mountains, which are most prone to severe weather.

The motion also called for prompt gritting and the deployment of snow ploughs on key routes, including the A478, A487, B4332, and B4329, which are vital for the local communities in the northeast and Preseli areas.

The county council’s Cabinet will now consider Cllr Murphy’s motion for further review.

New Cabinet confirmed following Full Council meeting

COUNCILLOR Linda Evans has been appointed Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council and Chair of the Cabinet following a meeting of Full Council on Wednesday (Dec 10).

A long-serving Plaid Cymru councillor for the Llanfihangel-ar-Arth ward, Cllr Evans has served on the authority since 2008 and has been a Cabinet Member since 2015.

Her appointment was formally confirmed during the meeting, where she also announced her Cabinet team — a 10-member executive responsible for the council’s overall business. The Cabinet meets fortnightly to make key decisions and recommendations to Full Council and, in some cases, decisions can be taken individually by Cabinet Members.

All members of the previous administration have retained their roles, with one change: Cllr Emlyn Schiavone joins the Cabinet as the new Cabinet Member for Homes.

The full Cabinet is as follows:

• Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism: Cllr Hazel Evans
• Cabinet Member for Education: Cllr Glynog Davies
• Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Communities and Welsh Language: Cllr Carys Jones
• Cabinet Member for Organisation and Workforce: Cllr Philip Hughes
• Cabinet Member for Resources: Cllr Alun Lenny
• Cabinet Member for Homes: Cllr Emlyn Schiavone
• Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services: Cllr Edward Thomas
• Cabinet Member for Integrated Health and Children and Adult Social Services: Cllr Jane Tremlett
• Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability: Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen
• Leader of the Council: Cllr Linda Evans

Speaking after her appointment, Cllr Evans said:
“It’s an honour to be elected as Council Leader and I look forward to working with the Cabinet and all members across the chamber for the benefit of the residents of Carmarthenshire.”