PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’s Cabinet has agreed to go ahead with the purchase of Scolton Manor.

The Cabinet met on Monday, February 22, to discuss the matter, following a report from the Economy Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The committee heard from various users of Scolton Manor as to how they would be affected by the loss of funding to Scolton Manor.

Council Leader Jamie Adams said: “Scolton has a lot to offer and it is about finding the key to unlocking that issue.”

Cllr Elwyn Morse said: “The Economy Committee had three options before them. To increase the rent, to Scolton Manor and the other option was to buy the Manor.

“This has been the subject of much debate and scrutiny committee and the anticipated figure was not available but it was believed to be around £900,000.

“The representations of the groups proved very useful in their determination. The purchase would give Pembrokeshire County Council control over the future.”

Economy Overview and Scrutiny Chairman, Cllr Mike John said: “There was no recommendation to us from Cabinet so we had a blank piece of paper.

“We went through the options in detail. We had concerns over the potential cost and whether or not the price could be reduced by a covenant through museum use and how it would be paid and financed.

“There were also discussions about the Welsh Church Act Fund. We had a long discussion and it came apparent that the best option would be to go ahead with the purchase of Scolton Manor.”

Cllr John also thanked the Cabinet for sending the matter to them and said it was a ‘good step forward to have pre-decision scrutiny’.

Cllr Elwyn Morse stated that the council had already spent £1.27million of which the £556,000 formed the grant elements that Scolton had received.

He said that in the cost of £900,000 there was an uplift that should be considered in negotiations and that the Welsh Church Act Fund shouldn’t be eligible to receive the full price.

Head of Cultural Services Mike Cavanagh said: “A lot of the vision is about how we will attract tourists because they are high spenders and that’s how we will make the site profitable but Scolton isn’t just going to be about tourists, it is also about local people having a fantastic day out.

“This would give us control and it will enable transformation to take place. It would give us control, we could sell the site in the future but if we wanted to so that would be on our terms.”

Cllr Huw George said that Scolton was at the heart of Pembrokeshire and added it was a big day for the county and for Scolton.