Councillor alleges misleading figures, inadequate insurance and poor treatment of staff

CALLS for an independent investigation into the controversial closure of Manorbier Church in Wales VC School are gathering pace ahead of a full council meeting next week.

Local member Cllr Phil Kidney has submitted a Notice of Motion calling for a full and impartial inquiry into the way Pembrokeshire County Council handled the closure process.

The proposed investigation would examine the length of time taken, alleged broken promises, insurance arrangements and the involvement of the council’s Human Resources department.

Cllr Kidney says the review should be carried out by someone who is not employed by the authority and should have the power to recommend disciplinary action where appropriate.

He said: “A full impartial review should hopefully stop another school being treated so appallingly.”

The call has now been backed by Milford Haven Hakin Reform councillor Scott Thorley, who launched a strongly worded attack on the authority’s handling of the school.

Writing on Facebook, Cllr Thorley said: “The council’s treatment of this school is shocking. Misleading figures, manufactured pupil numbers, totally inadequate insurance and the worst thing was the treatment of the staff.”

The claims have not yet been independently established, but they add to growing pressure on the council to explain how the school’s closure was handled and why the fire-damaged building was not fully reinstated.

Manorbier School and the adjoining schoolhouse were severely damaged by fire in October 2022, with pupils subsequently moved to a temporary “school from school” at Jameston Village Hall.

Although campaigners had hoped the original school would be rebuilt, councillors later backed a statutory process to discontinue it.

The proposal attracted strong opposition, with more than 1,500 people signing a petition calling for the school to be rebuilt and more than 90 per cent of consultation respondents opposing closure.

At a special meeting on June 15, councillors voted by 30 votes to 23, with four abstentions, to proceed with the final steps towards closure.

The Diocese of St Davids also opposed the decision and warned that legal action, including judicial review, could follow.

Questions remain over the insurance cover in place at the time of the fire, the true cost of rebuilding or closing the school, disputed pupil and surplus-place figures, and the treatment of staff during the process.

Pembrokeshire County Council has previously said the Leader has asked the Governance and Audit Committee to review the authority’s insurance position.

Cllr Kidney is also seeking an apology from Cllr Paul Miller, the council’s deputy leader and Cabinet Member for Education.

He has asked whether Cllr Miller will apologise to staff and parents for comments made at the June meeting, including claims that children would receive a better education at St Florence and that Manorbier pupils were being taught in one room.

Cllr Kidney described those comments as factually wrong and insulting to staff who had worked to maintain education standards after the fire.

Both the motion for an investigation and the request for an apology are due to be considered when full council meets on Thursday (Jul 16).

AN EMOTIONAL gathering was held at Hubberston and Hakin Community Centre as family, friends and volunteers came together to remember the late Mike Stoddart last week.

Members of Mike’s family joined Community Centre trustees and volunteers to commemorate a memorial bench installed in the centre’s Memorial Garden.

Mike, affectionately known as “Old Grumpy”, died on January 4, 2026, aged 85.

Alongside his many years of service as the county councillor for Hakin, Mike was also a dedicated trustee of the Community Centre and worked tirelessly on behalf of local residents.

The inscription on the bench describes it as “a place to sit and remember” and recognises Mike’s contribution as a centre trustee.

The Community Centre said it had been an emotional but special evening and thanked everyone who attended to pay tribute.

Similar memorials are also being planned to honour the late Eric Harries and John Morgan, recognising their own service and contribution to the community.

POLICE have warned that Tenby’s Summer Spectacular has become “a disaster waiting to happen”, amid concerns about overcrowding, crowd surges and restricted access for emergency services.

A decision on the future of the event’s premises licence is expected within days after Dyfed-Powys Police asked Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing sub-committee to revoke the existing licence, arguing that it is no longer fit for purpose.

The two harbour-based spectaculars planned for August have already been provisionally cancelled by organisers Tenby Round Table following difficulties agreeing crowd-control arrangements with the council.

The annual events, which feature food, drink, live music and a popular fireworks display, have been a highlight of Tenby’s summer calendar for many years.

However, police told the licensing hearing that the event had grown beyond what could safely be accommodated at its current location.

A police representative said the harbour area should have a maximum capacity of around 1,600 people, but estimated crowds of approximately 3,000 had attended previous events.

The committee heard concerns that overcrowding could lead to crowd surging, while the limited number of escape routes could create serious difficulties during an emergency.

Police stressed that they were not opposed to the event itself, but said it had “evolved from a family event to a large-scale drinking environment”.

Concerns were also raised by the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust over emergency access, while Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service highlighted wider public safety risks.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s lead licensing officer, Geraint Griffiths, described the current arrangements as “very dangerous” and warned that any significant movement or surge within the crowd could have devastating consequences.

The premises licence covers Tenby Harbour car park and extends to the top of Penniless Cove Hill. The site includes a stage, stalls, refreshment stands and a bar selling alcoholic and soft drinks in cans.

Alcohol is currently sold under a temporary event notice rather than as a licensed activity included within the premises licence.

The open-air event is not fenced or ticketed, with visitors invited to make a voluntary donation on entry. People are also able to access the area from the harbour beach, an issue described during the hearing as one of the main obstacles to safely controlling numbers.

Tenby Round Table disputed some of the figures presented by the emergency services, saying several incidents referred to had not been directly connected to the Summer Spectacular.

Members said they had spent much of the past year trying to resolve questions surrounding access and crowd control.

A Round Table representative told the committee: “This year’s event has been cancelled. It arose from the sheer volume of people visiting Tenby, creating a question we have tried to get answered for the best part of a year.

“Without a clear answer, we couldn’t finish our licensing plan and couldn’t responsibly hold our events.”

The organisers previously said negotiations with Pembrokeshire County Council’s public realm department had failed to produce a clear and workable agreement allowing temporary restrictions on pedestrian access to the harbour and beach.

Without those restrictions, they said it would not be possible to legally or safely control crowd numbers.

Committee member Cllr Mark Carter suggested the event may have become “too successful” and could have outgrown its current location.

He described unrestricted access from the nearby beach as “the elephant in the room” and said any future proposal would need to include a robust plan for controlling entry.

Tenby Round Table said moving the main event elsewhere while retaining the traditional harbour fireworks display would present significant logistical challenges.

Councillors were presented with four options, including revoking the licence or allowing it to continue with amended conditions.

Committee chairman Cllr Tim Evans said members would consider the evidence before issuing a written decision, which is expected within five working days.