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.

CARMARTHENSHIRE County Council has approved its revenue budget for the 2026–27 financial year, including a council tax rise of 4.9% and spending reductions totalling £8.7m.

The increase is lower than the 6.5% originally proposed after a period of public consultation with residents, schools, businesses and other stakeholders across the county.

The reduction was made possible following a £5m saving in employer contributions to the Dyfed Pension Fund and additional funding from the Welsh Government.

Council tax accounts for around 17% of the authority’s income, while approximately 70% of the council’s net budget comes from Welsh Government funding.

Additional funding of nearly £6.5m was allocated to Carmarthenshire as part of an extra £300m released in the Welsh Government’s budget for health and local government.

According to the council, the funding has improved its financial position by almost £3m and removed a previously projected £3.5m budget shortfall.

The authority said more than 1,200 people took part in the consultation process, including residents, school staff, town and community councils, trade unions, scrutiny committees and young people.

As a result of the consultation and the improved financial position, the council said the final budget includes amendments worth £850,000 and reverses some previously proposed cuts.

Among the changes are the removal of £160,000 of planned reductions to highways spending and a decision to halve the proposed increase in school meal charges.

Plans to close the Pendine Outdoor Education Centre in the 2027–28 financial year have also been withdrawn to allow time for further feasibility work.

Proposed savings affecting the Families Together Team have also been removed from the budget.

The council says the final budget will also include additional investment in property maintenance, the modernising education team and further support for Welsh language provision in education, as well as extra funding for highways.

Cllr Alun Lenny, the council’s cabinet member for resources, said the final budget had been shaped by feedback from the consultation.

He said: “The budget strategy approved by full council responds to the valuable feedback raised as part of the public consultation process and ensures, as far as possible, that service levels and standards are maintained.”

The council said the final package attempts to balance maintaining essential services with the financial pressures facing local government.