AN EMERGENCY call for councillors to fight a “total failure of the people of Pembrokeshire” downgrading of services at Withybush hospital has been backed.

At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, an emergency notice of motion by the council’s 11-strong Conservative Party group demanded that the Welsh Government immediately reverses the decision to cease emergency general surgery at Withybush Hospital.

Last year, Hywel Dda University Health Board consulted with its communities on options for change in critical care, dermatology, emergency general surgery, endoscopy, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, stroke, radiology and urology.

At a recent two-day meeting, the board, amongst its many other decisions, backed changes into emergency general surgery which will see no emergency general surgery operations taking place at Withybush, but a strengthening of the same-day emergency care (SDEC).

At the March council meeting, the Conservative council group, led by Cllr Di Clements, proposed a motion which read: “This council requests that the Labour Welsh Government intervenes in Hywel Dda University Health Board’s recent decision to cease emergency general surgery at Withybush hospital and immediately reverses their decision.
“We believe removing this service critically undermines the sustainability of Withybush hospital’s A&E department.

“Also, the decision by the Health Board does not take into account the impact and potential serious risks it will have on Pembrokeshire residents.”

Cllr Clements’ supporting statement, which included a call for Leader Cllr Jon Harvery to write to the First Minister and Welsh Government, said Pembrokeshire residents “have seen continual downgrading of services over the years, and this has been detrimental to all residents,” adding: “We believe this recent decision is life threatening to those who need emergency surgery and a matter of resident’s safety.”

At the meeting, Cllr Michael John said “there had been an erosion of services for many years,” supporting Cllr Clements’ call, but proposing the addition of calling on the health board to meet with councillors.

Newly-elected Fishguard county councillor Billy Shaw, himself a former biomedical scientist who had worked at Withybush, said the service under Hywel Dda University Health Board had become “Carmarthenshire-centred”.

Following the request by Cllr Clements, Leader Cllr Jon Harvey agreed to any letter writing, saying he had “fought long and hard to return services to Withybush”.

He gave the personal example of an operation he had over a decade ago at Withybush, saying if he had had to travel to Glangwili he had been told he “wouldn’t be here today, as simple as that”.

“There’s been an erosion of services year-on-year, it’s just not acceptable.

He finished: “It’s important we show the health board and Welsh Government we care for our residents.”

Cllr Rhys Jordan said: “It’s a total failure of the people of Pembrokeshire, Hywel Dda has taken emergency services away Pembrokeshire and once again it will be the people of Pembrokeshire that pay the price; it’s our families, our neighbours, our elderly and children.”

He added: “What does that say about how we are managed? Pembrokeshire can be managed with less, that we should be grateful for less; Pembrokeshire is not a second-class Wales.

“This decision must be reversed. Pembrokeshire deserves better than being failed again and again.”

Members backed Cllr Clements’ call, with Cllr John’s amendment added.

Welsh Labour has said that, if it wins the May Senedd lections, it will commit to a new multi-billion-pound west Wales hospital, a proposal described as a “pre-election distraction” by Conservatives.

The long-mooted hospital plan, previously proposed in St Clears and Whitland locations, was put on hold by the health board for financial reasons.

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.