Council confirms negotiations with insurer ongoing following 2022 fire

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has confirmed that negotiations with its insurer over the fire that destroyed Manorbier Church in Wales VC School are still ongoing, despite councillors voting to move ahead with the process of closing the school.

The small rural school has been operating from Jameston Community Hall since the original building was badly damaged by fire in October 2022.

Last week, during a meeting of full council on Thursday (Mar 5), members voted to authorise the publication of a statutory notice to discontinue the school.

Insurance negotiations not highlighted during debate

During the council debate on Thursday (Mar 5), councillors were told that the insurance settlement offered following the fire fell “far below” the estimated cost of reinstating the school.

However, no indication was given during the meeting that negotiations with the insurer had not yet been finalised.

The council has since confirmed to the Herald that discussions over the claim are still ongoing and that the final settlement figure has not yet been agreed.

The decision means the formal closure process will now begin, with pupils expected to transfer to nearby St Florence School if the proposal ultimately goes ahead.

However, in response to questions from the Herald, the council confirmed that the insurance claim relating to the fire has not yet been finalised.

A communications officer at the Council said on Thursday (Mar 12) that negotiations with the insurer are continuing.

“The total value of the insurance settlement offered or received in relation to the Manorbier School fire – negotiations with the insurer are ongoing so we are unable to comment,” he said.

The council also confirmed that the insurance claim has not yet been settled.

Rebuild costs estimated at around £2.6m

During the council debate, Cabinet Member for Education Cllr Guy Woodham told councillors that the insurance settlement offered following the fire was “far below the estimated cost of reinstating the school to a suitable operational standard.”

Feasibility work previously presented to councillors suggested the cost of rebuilding or reinstating the school building would be in the region of £2.6 million.

The council has confirmed that the insurance policy carries an excess of £200,000.

When asked whether any insurance funds had been allocated elsewhere within the council’s capital budget, the authority said none had been used.

Campaigners argued insurance should fund rebuild

Supporters of the school have repeatedly argued that insurance money from the fire should be used to rebuild the village school.

The consultation process attracted 252 responses, with 228 opposing the closure and only 20 supporting it.

Many parents and residents also raised concerns that the school had previously been expected to be rebuilt following the fire.

At a Cabinet meeting in March 2023 the council agreed to support the reinstatement of the school subject to feasibility work and the development of a business case.

However, the subsequent analysis concluded that rebuilding the school would not represent value for money in the context of pupil numbers and the wider school estate in the Tenby area.

Questions remain over insurance position

The confirmation that insurance negotiations are still ongoing raises further questions about the financial context surrounding the decision to close the school.

While councillors were told that the settlement offered by insurers falls “far below” the estimated cost of reinstating the school, the council has not yet disclosed the value of the insurance cover that was in place at the time of the fire.

The Herald has asked Pembrokeshire County Council to confirm the insured reinstatement value of the Manorbier School building when the fire occurred in October 2022.

If the building was insured for significantly less than the estimated rebuild cost, it could raise wider questions about insurance cover for public buildings across the county.

The Herald has therefore also asked the council to clarify whether other schools and council-owned buildings are insured at their full reinstatement value, and when those insurance valuations were last reviewed.

For now, the council says negotiations with its insurer are still taking place.

Over 90% opposed closure as insurance settlement falls short of rebuild cost

THE FUTURE of Manorbier Church in Wales VC School has been sealed after Pembrokeshire County Council voted to move forward with plans to close the school – more than three years after a fire destroyed the building and initially raised hopes it would be rebuilt.

The decision was taken during a meeting of full council on Thursday (Mar 5), where members agreed to publish a statutory notice to discontinue the school.

The move follows a consultation which revealed overwhelming opposition to closure. Of the 252 responses received, more than 90% were against shutting the school.

Despite that opposition, council officers recommended proceeding with closure, citing falling pupil numbers, surplus school places in the Tenby area and the financial implications of rebuilding the fire-damaged site.

Introducing the report, Cabinet Member for Education Cllr Guy Woodham acknowledged the difficult circumstances surrounding the decision.

“I want to once again thank the headteacher, governing body, staff, learners, families and the community for supporting the school so admirably during these very challenging times,” he told councillors.

The school building was severely damaged by fire in October 2022, forcing pupils and staff to relocate to temporary accommodation at Jameston Community Hall, where the school has continued operating.

Rebuild hopes raised

In the months following the fire, the council appeared to signal that rebuilding the school was the likely outcome.

In March 2023, cabinet backed what it described as “positive steps towards rebuilding” Manorbier School and approved funding for a feasibility study into reinstating the building.

Council reports at the time stated that full reinstatement of the school was the “preferred option.”

Pupils were moved to Jameston Community Hall with the expectation that the school would continue operating there while rebuilding work was completed.

However, after the feasibility work was carried out and a wider review of education provision in the area was undertaken, the council’s approach changed.

Insurance settlement shortfall

During Thursday’s debate, councillors were told the financial reality of rebuilding the school had proved more challenging than first anticipated.

Cllr Woodham said the insurance settlement offered following the fire fell “far below the estimated cost of reinstating the school to a suitable operational standard.”

That gap between the insurance settlement and the cost of rebuilding was a significant factor in the council’s reassessment of the school’s future.

Cllr Woodham also acknowledged that the earlier cabinet decision had led many residents to believe rebuilding was inevitable.

“There may have been a general perception that a decision had been made to reinstate the school,” he told the chamber.

However, he said the 2023 decision had only been to carry out feasibility work and develop a business case.

Falling pupil numbers cited

Council officers also pointed to demographic pressures affecting the wider school system in Pembrokeshire.

The authority says there has been a decline in the pupil population, alongside an increasing number of schools with surplus places.

Officials told councillors that long-term planning decisions must be based on the viability of permanent school sites rather than temporary arrangements.

Forecasts presented to the council suggested there was insufficient long-term growth in pupil numbers to sustain Manorbier School.

Community fears

Many parents and residents had argued the school remained viable before the fire and could still thrive if rebuilt.

Campaigners also raised concerns that closing the school would harm the local community and undermine efforts to attract young families to the area, particularly given recent housing developments nearby.

Transport and road safety concerns were also raised during the consultation, with some residents warning that pupils could face longer journeys on narrow rural roads if the school closed.

Church opposition

The proposal also drew objections from the Diocese of St Davids, which warned about the loss of a Church in Wales school in the area.

A letter from Bishop Dorrien Davies opposing the closure formed part of the consultation evidence presented to councillors.

Earlier this year the bishop visited pupils and staff at the school while they were based in temporary accommodation, praising the quality of teaching and pastoral care despite the difficult circumstances.

What happens next

Thursday’s decision does not immediately close the school but authorises the Director of Education to publish a statutory notice to discontinue the school.

If the process proceeds as expected, the school will eventually close and pupils will be transferred to other schools in the area.

The council has not yet confirmed the value of the insurance settlement or the estimated cost of rebuilding the school, figures which may now come under further scrutiny following the debate.

Petition and protests fail to prevent closure of small rural school near Tegryn

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has voted to close Ysgol Clydau despite strong opposition from parents and residents who argued the rural school plays a vital role in the local community.

Councillors approved the closure at a full meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council on Thursday (Mar 5), following a consultation process that drew hundreds of responses and a community campaign to save the small rural school near Tegryn.

Addressing the chamber, Cllr Guy Woodham acknowledged the sensitivity of the issue.

“Any proposal to close a school is emotive,” he told councillors, noting that the report before members summarised consultation responses and the council’s responses to concerns raised by parents, residents and other consultees.

One of the most frequently raised issues during the consultation was the role the school plays in local identity and community life. Respondents argued that rural schools often act as a focal point for their communities and help sustain village life.

However, council officers said that while the school contributes to community identity, it currently hosts relatively few community activities. They pointed out that nearby Carnarvon Hall already provides a venue for a wide range of classes and events and could continue to do so if the school closes.

It was also suggested that the school building itself could potentially be used for community purposes if another organisation or group expressed an interest in taking it over.

Concerns were also raised about the potential impact on pupils with additional learning needs (ALN). Parents said the small size of the school provides a nurturing and personalised environment that may be difficult to replicate in a larger setting.

Council officers acknowledged those concerns but said pupils could also benefit from the wider range of resources, specialist staff and development opportunities available in larger schools.

A transition plan will be developed to ensure individual pupils’ needs are identified and supported during and after the move to another school.

Transport and travel times were another major concern raised during the consultation, with parents highlighting longer journeys for pupils and questioning the suitability of arrangements for younger children.

The council said pupils who meet eligibility criteria will receive free school transport, with routes and pick-up arrangements designed with safety and age considerations in mind.

Some respondents also argued that alternative solutions, including federation with other schools, had not been fully considered.

Officers said a number of alternative proposals were examined during the consultation process but were not considered viable.

Residents also raised concerns that planned housing development opposite the school could increase pupil numbers in the future.

However, council forecasts suggest the development would generate only around two additional pupils, which officers said would not significantly affect the school’s viability.

Some parents indicated they might consider home education if the school closes, particularly those with children who experience anxiety or require additional support.

The council said it would provide information and support to help families make informed decisions and ensure they are aware of Welsh-language education options available elsewhere.

Questions were also raised about the financial case for the closure and whether projected savings adequately accounted for increased transport costs and other factors.

Council officers said the financial assessment presented to councillors includes those additional costs.

Some respondents also questioned the fairness and transparency of the consultation process, suggesting the outcome had already been decided.

Officers rejected that suggestion, stating that the consultation had been carried out in accordance with the Welsh Government’s School Organisation Code and that the final decision rested with councillors.

Pupils’ views were also gathered during the consultation through two sessions facilitated by a school improvement adviser, with responses recorded anonymously and included in the consultation report.

The proposal to close the school has been strongly contested over the past year. A petition opposing the closure received more than 600 responses on the council’s website, triggering a debate at County Hall, while campaigners warned the loss of the school would “pluck the heart out of the community”.

Preseli Pembrokeshire MS Paul Davies previously criticised the proposal, describing Ysgol Clydau as a crucial part of the local community and warning that closure could have a significant impact on the area.

Council figures show pupil numbers at the school have declined in recent years, forming part of the authority’s wider review of education provision and surplus school places across the county.

Despite the concerns raised, councillors voted to approve the closure.

Further details about the timeline for the closure and arrangements for pupils currently attending Ysgol Clydau are expected to be confirmed by the council.