Community

Closure-threatened Stepaside CP School saved after call from deputy leader

Published

50 seconds ago

July 17, 2026

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE school at threat of closure as part of education reorganisation in the south of the county has now been saved after councillors backed a call from the deputy leader for it to remain open.

Stepaside CP School was being earmarked for closure by Pembrokeshire County Council, as part of proposals to establish a new 3-11 primary school on the Saundersfoot School site, discontinuing both Saundersfoot school and Stepaside school.

The Stepaside proposal was based on surplus places for all the schools in the proposals, with Stepaside having a surplus capacity of over 50 per cent, councillors had previously heard; figures that have since been much debated.

In March, a vote at a full meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council reaffirmed a decision of last December, that the Director for Education be authorised to commence statutory consultation to discontinue Stepaside and Saundersfoot and establish the new three-11 primary school.

Since then, Pembrokeshire’s deputy leader Cllr Paul Miller, who has recently taken on Cabinet member responsibility for education, made a call for the school to instead remain open, rescinding the previous decision to discontinue Saundersfoot and Stepaside schools, which was heard at the July 16 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council.

Cllr Miller said: “Following a thorough review, I have decided to recommend to council that it not proceed with the closure of Stepaside School. I believe the school is providing good educational outcomes for its local population and is sustainable in its current form.”

A lengthy supporting statement from Cllr Miller also said: “I assumed portfolio responsibility for Education on May 15. Since appointment I have reviewed in detail the substantive plans of the Directorate including those for school modernisation and reorganisation.

“To date I consider that the primary focus of our reorganisation work has been on addressing surplus places. While that focus absolutely aligns with Welsh Government guidance, measuring surplus places tells us simply how many empty classrooms we have.

“That’s an interesting estates and facilities metric but it tells us very little about the educational experience of the children inside those buildings. I accept that there is a size (pupil number) at which a small school becomes unviable and must shut. That’s not simply unviable from a financial perspective but also from the perspective of the education provided.”

It added: “It may also be that there are mitigations, for example shared leadership roles or formal federations, that can be explored to strengthen the sustainability of both schools.

“Equally, the planned temporary full decant of Tenby VC School [which needs a new roof] may utilise a significant proportion of the existing surplus places at Saundersfoot School. In those circumstances, I do not believe the available evidence currently demonstrates that closure of Stepaside School represents a necessary or proportionate response to the level of surplus places within the Tenby Cluster.”

At the meeting Cllr Miller stressed the Stepaside decision would not lead to a revisiting of the recently backed closures of Manorbier school or Ysgol Clydau.

While there were claims of “a massive U-turn” and a “purely political move” around Cllr Miller’s call, the latter of which he said he said was “completely outrageous,” members unanimously backed the call.

Cllr Miller said he accepted the process around Stepaside had “been imperfect,” but added: “I firmly believe this school has a viable future.”

Speaking after the meeting, Laura Burnett, Chair of Governors at Stepaside Community Primary School said: “The Governing Body of Stepaside Community Primary School are delighted to share the exciting news that the school will remain open for many years to come. This is a tremendous achievement for the community that is served by the school in Kilgetty.
“The Governing Body continues to believe that the original proposal to close Stepaside School and transfer all pupils to Saundersfoot was ill-informed. We remain concerned that the school capacity, projected pupil numbers and budgetary figures used to inform the proposal were outdated and did not provide a reliable basis for decision-making.

“In addition, we feel that the potential impact on the local community was not explored in sufficient depth, with limited engagement undertaken with those most affected.”

She added: “The appointment of new cabinet members provided a valuable opportunity for a fresh perspective. We are grateful to Cllr Paul Miller, along with the many county councillors, members of parliament and Senedd members who took the time to visit the school and see first-hand the high-quality education it provides, as well as the significant impact that its closure would have on pupils, families and the wider community.”
She went on to say: “We are delighted that Stepaside School will continue to serve the children and families of our catchment area for many years to come. As we look ahead to September, we look forward to welcoming new pupils into our thriving school community.”

Welsh professional footballer Liam Cullen, who plays for Swansea and the Welsh national team is a former pupil.

He said: “Alongside my brilliant education from all of the staff, they also facilitated my aims and dream of making it to where I am today being a footballer.

“Me and my family couldn’t have done it without the help of the school’s staff, allowing me to train and play most days whilst keeping on top of my education and giving me exactly what I needed to succeed both in school and out of school.”

Community

Popular Under the Bridge youth project returns to Milford Waterfront

Published

14 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

FREE summer activities for 11 to 17-year-olds will begin next week as the award-winning Under the Bridge project returns to Milford Waterfront.

The initiative, delivered by the Port of Milford Haven in partnership with Milford Youth Matters, will offer activities and entertainment throughout the school holidays.

The first session will take place on Tuesday, July 21, from 6pm to 8pm, with events continuing every Tuesday and Friday evening until Friday, August 28.

Young people will be able to take part in a varied programme including inflatables, water safety sessions and workshops delivered by St John Ambulance and the VC Gallery.

Free refreshments will also be available at every session.

More than 250 young people took part in Under the Bridge last year, demonstrating the continuing demand for free and accessible activities during the summer holidays.

Emily Jones, Engagement Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, said the project had become one of the organisation’s most successful community initiatives.

She said: “Under the Bridge remains one of our most successful and well-established community projects, engaging hundreds of young people every summer.

“Working alongside the fantastic team at Milford Youth Matters, we are able to provide a safe and welcoming environment where young people can enjoy a wide range of activities, make new connections and develop valuable skills.

“The programme also plays an important role in promoting positive engagement and helping to reduce anti-social behaviour in the area.

“We are delighted to see it return for another year and look forward to welcoming participants throughout the summer.”

Dayle Gibby, Milford Youth Matters Co-ordinator, said the programme had become an important part of the summer for many young people in the area.

He said: “We are extremely grateful to the Port of Milford Haven for its continued support of the Under the Bridge summer project.

“The programme provides free and accessible activities in a safe and welcoming environment.

“Through our partnership with the Port, we are able to engage with hundreds of young people each year, helping them to build confidence, form positive relationships and make the most of their summer holidays.

“We are proud to work alongside an organisation that shares our commitment to supporting the wellbeing and development of young people across our community.”

Under the Bridge forms part of the Port of Milford Haven’s wider educational engagement programme.

The programme is guided by three themes: creating a safe, inclusive and enjoyable Waterway, building a skilled and confident community, and supporting a sustainable and resilient environment.

Community

Pembrokeshire pupils discover careers on the Milford Haven Waterway

Published

16 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

More than 200 pupils took to the water to learn about opportunities in energy, engineering, tourism and conservation

PUPILS from two Pembrokeshire secondary schools have been given a first-hand look at the wide range of careers connected to the Milford Haven Waterway.

More than 200 Year 8 pupils from Ysgol Harri Tudur in Pembroke and Milford Haven School took part in a series of educational boat trips organised by the Port of Milford Haven in partnership with Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum.

Travelling between the Cleddau Bridge and Stack Rock, the pupils heard from professionals working in industries based on and around the Waterway.

Representatives from Dragon LNG, Ledwood, the Port of Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum and the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation spoke about their own career journeys and offered advice on routes into employment.

The initiative was designed to help pupils understand the opportunities available locally as they begin considering their future subject choices. A separate trip was also arranged for Year 10 engineering pupils from Milford Haven School.

Topics covered during the sessions included marine renewable energy, tourism, environmental conservation, skippering, engineering and careers within the energy industry.

Anna Malloy, Communications and Marketing Director at the Port of Milford Haven, said the project aimed to introduce young people to careers they may not previously have considered.

She said: “The Milford Haven Waterway supports a diverse range of industries and offers a wealth of career opportunities, many of which young people may not be aware of.

“Through this project, pupils had the chance to experience the Waterway from a unique perspective and hear directly from professionals whose work contributes to a thriving local economy that reaches global markets.

“By showcasing the breadth of careers available, we hope to inspire young people to consider the exciting opportunities that exist here in Pembrokeshire and broaden their understanding of the industries that help shape our region.”

Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum facilitated the trips.

Tom Luddington, Coastal Stakeholder Manager, said: “Hearing directly from people working in local businesses and conservation along the Waterway was an impactful and innovative way to inspire pupils about potential future careers.

“The professionals were able to share their knowledge and experience across areas including marine renewable energy, tourism, conservation, skippering and the energy sector.”

The project forms part of the Port of Milford Haven’s educational engagement programme, which aims to raise awareness of local career pathways and encourage the next generation to explore opportunities within Pembrokeshire’s maritime, industrial and environmental sectors.

Photo caption: Year 8 pupils explore career opportunities during an educational boat trip on the Milford Haven Waterway.

Community

Llangwm LitFest returns with tales of slow travel and inclusive writing

Published

17 hours ago

July 16, 2026

Tom Sinclair

Three-day festival will bring literature, music, art and workshops to the Pembrokeshire village from August 7 to 9

LLANGWM LitFest will return this summer with a varied programme celebrating travel writing, remarkable historical figures and opportunities for people of all abilities to tell their own stories.

The popular literary festival, which has showcased almost 200 writers since it was established in 2016, will take place across Llangwm from Friday, August 7, to Sunday, August 9.

Festival director Michael Pugh will be discussing his own book, Riding Through War and Peace, which recounts his 1,500-mile journey on horseback from Russia through Belarus and Ukraine to Transylvania.

The book has been published during the Chinese Year of the Horse.

Mr Pugh said: “I am thrilled that Riding Through War and Peace was published in the Year of the Horse.

“It is a wonderful way to travel. The horse acts as an excellent way to interact with people, and you see so much more when you travel slowly.”

The journey took three months and was undertaken against the backdrop of Russia’s attacks on Ukraine. Mr Pugh’s work has been compared with that of celebrated travel writers Patrick Leigh Fermor and Colin Thubron.

Russian history has long featured prominently in the festival’s programme, and this year will be no exception.

One of the headline events will focus on Miranda Seymour’s acclaimed biography of Princess Vera Gedroits, a pioneering surgeon, aristocrat and early feminist.

Princess Vera became Russia’s first female surgeon, championed workers’ rights and is said to have personally expelled Rasputin from her hospital ward.

Mr Pugh said: “The book has been praised as a masterpiece and shows Miranda Seymour at the height of her powers.”

Organisers say one of the events they are most proud to host this year is a supportive writing workshop for people with disabilities and different abilities.

The workshop is being heavily subsidised by the Authors’ Licensing and Collecting Society and is intended to provide a welcoming environment in which participants can develop and share their writing.

Mr Pugh said: “Life can be hard for people with disabilities. We want to support them and hear their voices.

“The festival has been inspiring people to write for the past ten years, and the results have greatly enriched our programme.”

There will also be an opportunity for members of the public to perform their own work during Songs, Poems and Pints at Llangwm Rugby Club on Friday, August 7.

The evening will also feature music from Wrong Direction and the Varifolkals.

Music will continue on Sunday, August 9, when Ensemble Stinan performs at St Jerome’s Church.

Local artwork will be available to buy at Llangwm Village Hall, while a selection of crafts will be displayed at St Jerome’s Church during the first two days of the festival.

Mr Pugh added: “We are fortunate to have such a wealth of high-quality work being produced locally in Llangwm.”

Llangwm LitFest takes place from August 7 to 9, 2026.

Further information is available by emailing [email protected] or visiting www.llangwmlitfest.co.uk. The festival can also be found on Facebook at Llangwmlitfest and on X, formerly Twitter, at @Llangwmlitfest1.