Headteacher absent as council confirms support plan and oversight visits

CONCERNS have been raised about leadership and staffing at Milford Haven Comprehensive School following last week’s alleged stabbing of a teacher on site.

The Herald has been contacted by a member of teaching staff who described the school as “rudderless” in the days after the incident and questioned whether enough senior management support was in place.

The teacher, who asked not to be named, said staff morale had been affected and claimed there had been little direct communication from the headteacher, who has been absent due to injury.

They said: “We teachers are all saying the same thing. The school feels rudderless. This is a time when a leader needs to step up and let us know they’re still in charge and concerned.”

Concerns were also raised about administrative capacity, with the business manager role reportedly unfilled.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed the current arrangements.

The council said headteacher Ms C. A. Morris remains in post but is currently absent, with deputy headteacher Mr Daryl John deputising.

It added that the business manager position is a matter for the school.

Additional support has been put in place for staff and pupils, including the Education Psychology team on site, access to counselling services and an increased presence from the School Police Liaison Officer throughout the week.

The authority also said the Director of Education is in daily contact with the deputy head.

In terms of oversight, the council confirmed Steven Richards-Downes, Director of Education, has visited the school 35 times and met staff on two occasions. Cllr Guy Woodham, Cabinet Member for Education and Welsh Language, has made eight visits since taking up the role in May 2019.

Last week’s incident saw a 15-year-old charged grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a bladed article. The case has been sent to Swansea Crown Court.

COUNCIL tax in Pembrokeshire is expected to rise by 4.6 per cent, in proposals backed by senior councillors today.

At the February 9 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, in a report presented by Cabinet member for finance, Cllr Alistair Cameron, members considered options for setting the 2026/27 council budget; a council tax increase of 4.6 per cent, which equates to an increase of £75.99 for the council part of the overall council tax bill for the average Band D property, and 7.5 per cent, for an increase of £123.90.

Cllr Cameron, seconded by Cllr Rhys Sinnett, recommended members back the lower 4.6 per cent level.

Last year, Pembrokeshire’s council tax increased by 9.35 per cent, lower than a Cabinet recommendation of 9.85 per cent.

The overall council tax bill is made up of the county council element, the largest part, the Dyfed-Powys Police precept, and individual town or community council elements.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Cameron said the council’s funding gap had now increased by just over £1m for 2026-27, to £14.7m.

His report added the most significant cost pressure for the 2026-27 budget “continues to be within social care, with a projected total increase in pressure of £12m for 2026-27 representing 42 per cent of the total council service pressures for 2026-27”.

It added: “The funding gap of £14.7m, will need to be bridged through a combination of budget savings, increases in council tax, use of council tax premiums and use of reserves.

“The lower the Band D council tax increase, the higher the budget savings requirement will be, with the consequential adverse impact on the provision of council services,” with each per cent increase in council tax generating £0.908m income for the council.

Cllr Cameron said the proposed budget included funding for “front-line services” such as school improvement support, building maintenance, and highways maintenance support.

Where possible, discretionary fees and charges have been budgeted to increase by 3.8 per cent.

The lower 4.6 per cent council tax increase was supported by Leader Cllr Jon Harvey, who said: “Clearly we don’t want to put up council tax if we can clearly avoid that; the target was to keep the council tax rise at the lowest possible level we could do.”

He said the recent increase in the Welsh Government settlement for Welsh councils had “given a bit of leeway,” and the proposal would keep the council from having to make drastic ‘red-level’ budget savings, along with more funding for general services.

Members unanimously backed the 4.6 per cent increase.

Other recommendations backed by Cabinet include determining recommended future draft council tax levels, as part of the medium-term financial plan of five per cent for 2027-’28 and 7.5 per cent for 2028-’29.

The final decision on the council tax increase for the forthcoming financial year will be made by full council, the Cabinet decision taking the form of a recommendation, with the budget meeting currently listed for February 20.

PROPOSALS for a Pembrokeshire Church in Wales school is to be discontinued are “fundamentally flawed,” in part due to land ownership issues, councillors heard.

At last May’s meeting, Pembrokeshire County Council considered a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which outlined the findings of a review of education provision in the Preseli area.

A later July meeting backed a general consultation to discontinue Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, and to establish it as a 3-11 community school.

“In particular, the review considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population,” the council in its consultation has said.

The consultation closed on January 30.

Hundreds have opposed the proposed changes, with a petition, on the council’s own website opposing the changes recently closing after gaining 391 signatures.

Any petition of more than 100 signatures triggers a debate at a council scrutiny committee, in the case of Cilgerran that debate taking place at the February 5 schools and learning overview and scrutiny committee.

The Cilgerran e-petition, created by Louise Williams, said of the proposed changes: “Ysgol Cilgerran VC school has strong links with the Church community in Cilgerran and we believe this [change] will have a negative impact on the children who attend the school, the community of Cilgerran and the links between the two.
“We are proud of our school ethos and values which are strengthened by our links with the church. The school has close and strong relationships with our Church in Wales federation governors one of which is also our safeguarding governor.

“Our Church Federation governors work closely with the school and are regular visitors to the school and the children. They provide vital support and guidance to the school and have a positive impact on the children’s education. We believe these links will be weakened by this proposal to remove our VC status and we believe this is an un-necessary action.”

Speaking at the meeting, vice-chair of the school governors Gary Fieldhouse said the loss of the Church in Wales status would be “a profound mistake,” the school’s association with the church “not symbolic but fundamental,” with “a sense of belonging” that would not be the same if it lost that link and would “change the essence of what we are”.

He said the were issues of land ownership, and the “thriving” school, in a strong financial position with no deficit, was likely to benefit in terms of numbers when a new housing estate in the village was built.

Reverend John Cecil said the proposals were “fundamentally flawed,” with the school’s land legally in trust as a Church of Wales school, and change “essentially creating a new school with no premises to occupy”.

Cabinet member for education Cllr Guy Woodham repeated assurances he had given when petitions for other schools in the county, which are facing potential closures, saying final reports on the school’s future would be “as balanced as possible”.

“I’m happy to give that assurance again; to present in a fair way so councillors can make an informed decision.”

Members heard that legal conversations connected with that issue were ongoing, agreeing to note the petition.

A report on the final proposals will be brought to a future council meeting.