Council votes to discontinue Ysgol Llansteffan after months of opposition

CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council has approved plans to close Ysgol Llansteffan, despite a sustained campaign by parents and community supporters to keep the village school open.

The decision was confirmed at a council meeting held today (Wednesday, March 4).

Under the plans, Ysgol Llansteffan will close on August 31, 2026, with pupils transferring to Ysgol Llangain from September 1. The existing catchment area currently served by Ysgol Llansteffan will also be absorbed into the Ysgol Llangain catchment.

Parents and guardians will still be able to apply for places at other schools in Carmarthenshire through the council’s usual admissions process.

The school was identified for closure under Carmarthenshire County Council’s Modernising Education Programme, approved by Cabinet on November 18, 2024. Officials cited extremely low pupil numbers, a high number of surplus places, and financial pressures including a projected deficit budget.

Council leaders also noted that many children living within the school’s catchment area already attend other schools, limiting demand for provision in the village.

Cabinet Member for Education Cllr Glynog Davies said the decision had been difficult.

“The decision to close Ysgol Llansteffan is difficult for everyone involved and it is with sadness that this has been agreed,” he said.

“Following a robust process, the discontinuation of Ysgol Llansteffan will enable the school to combine with Ysgol Llangain to provide safer staffing, the wider sharing of the Welsh language among pupils and a more sustainable rural community.”

Campaigners’ concerns

The decision follows months of opposition from parents and campaigners who argued the case for closure was flawed.

The school’s Parent Teacher Association, supported by Welsh language campaigners, had urged councillors to delay the decision, saying important evidence remained unresolved. Campaigners also raised concerns about the language impact assessment used to support the closure proposal.

Parents argued that pupil numbers had recently increased and that projections used by the council were outdated. They said the school roll had risen earlier this year, challenging claims that numbers would remain extremely low.

During the consultation process, the council received more than 200 responses, with the majority opposing the closure. Residents raised concerns about transport arrangements, the potential impact on pupils’ wellbeing, and the effect on the wider village community if the school were lost.

Supporters of the school also argued that small rural schools play an important role in maintaining Welsh language use and community life, warning that once the village school is lost it would be unlikely to reopen.

Despite these objections, councillors ultimately approved the proposal, meaning Ysgol Llansteffan will close at the end of the summer term.

Independent councillors warn of job losses, safeguarding risks and declining public services

INDEPENDENT councillors have criticised Pembrokeshire County Council’s newly agreed 2026/27 budget, warning that £2m of cuts to education could lead to the loss of around 50 teaching and support posts.

The Independent Group says it opposed the budget because now is not the time to implement what Cabinet has described as “efficiency savings”, particularly after three Pembrokeshire schools were recently placed into special measures with safeguarding concerns identified.

Group members said they had contacted teaching unions and received what they described as a clear response that education funding should not be reduced in the current climate.

Public service pressures raised

The councillors also highlighted what they say are growing pressures on frontline council services, including Contact Centre response times and staffing shortages.

Following the budget meeting, Cllr Huw Murphy reported witnessing a member of the public at County Hall attempting to pay rent, only to find the payment counter closed because of staffing issues. As reception does not accept cash payments, the individual — who had travelled from North Pembrokeshire — was unable to complete the transaction.

The Independent Group believes some of the council’s projected £4m underspend, or its £2m contingency allocation, should instead be used to protect education funding and strengthen front-desk and Contact Centre staffing to improve public access to services.

Political tensions over vote

The budget passed with support from councillors across the chamber who were present, with one abstention.

Independent members have criticised what they describe as a lack of meaningful political opposition, arguing that councillors from multiple parties ultimately supported Cabinet proposals.

They also noted the absence of several Conservative councillors during what is widely regarded as the most important council meeting of the year, including Conservative Group Chief Whip Aled Thomas and councillors David Howlett and Jonathan Grimes.

Accountability pledge

The Independent Group says it will continue to scrutinise council decisions and press for improvements, particularly where safeguarding concerns have been identified in recent Estyn inspections.

They say they remain committed to representing Pembrokeshire residents independently of party political influence while holding decision-makers to account for the impact of the 2026/27 budget.

FISHGUARD and Goodwick Town Council has held two site meetings with transport officials to address pedestrian safety and longstanding traffic congestion problems in the area.

The first meeting took place with the South Wales Trunk Road Agency (SWTRA) in central Fishguard, where councillors reviewed existing pedestrian crossings and explored options for additional crossing points.

A second meeting was held in Lower Town Fishguard involving local representatives including Paul Davies MS and Ben Lake MP, alongside SWTRA and Welsh Government officials. Discussions focused on ongoing congestion and safety concerns on the narrow route through Lower Town and across the bridge.

The timing of the visit highlighted the issue, with the meeting reportedly delayed after a lorry became stuck in the area.

The Town Council said the discussions were productive, with Welsh Government representatives confirming that new traffic monitoring cameras will be introduced. The cameras are intended to gather detailed data on the length and width of vehicles travelling through the route.

Officials are also considering the possible introduction of priority access arrangements on the bridge as part of efforts to improve traffic flow and safety.

The long-discussed possibility of a separate pedestrian footbridge remains under consideration. However, the Town Council acknowledged that the proposal faces significant challenges, including flooding risks, environmental constraints, planning issues and costs.

Councillors shared findings from a recent local survey during the meeting and said they hope to collect pedestrian footfall data on the bridge, which will also be provided to Welsh Government to support future decision-making.