NEW SCHOOLS in Milford Haven won’t be built before 2030 at the earliest, and 2032 for a planned Welsh Medium school, councillors heard.

The timeline was stated during discussions at Pembrokeshire County Council’s May meeting on educational matters in the county, including a revised governance arrangements for the sustainable communities for learning programme and planning for the future of Welsh medium education in the Milford Haven area.

At the meeting, Cllr Viv Stoddart reflected on a recent school panel visit to Milford Haven, saying a later private talk with pupils showed they were “acutely aware and acutely embarrassed by the situation in their school,” feeling like they were “second-class citizens”.

“Where does the school for Milford Haven sit? Is there a date for it? The state of the school has actually been a concern since 2012.”

Cllr Guy Woodham, who had earlier announced he was stepping down from his Cabinet education role, said he felt a personal disappointment to be stepping down before there was “a spade in the ground”.

He told members his understanding was the outline business case was due to be submitted to Welsh Government in June.

Mike Cavanagh, Head of Culture, Leisure, and School Modernisation told members the to-date £143m scheme needed a robust business case to Welsh Government, which had to be followed to gain approximately two-thirds funding; the final business case expected in 2027, with hopes the English Medium element of the new school would be built in 2030, and a new Welsh Medium in 2032.

In relation to Welsh medium education in the Milford area, a report for members said a 2025 Cabinet meeting had backed the Director of Education be given approval to commence the school organisation process to establish a new 3-11 Welsh medium school in Milford Haven, with a decision now sought to commence statutory consultation.

It said there were currently 19 Welsh-medium schools in Pembrokeshire, but no Welsh-medium school physically located within Milford Haven itself, one of Pembrokeshire’s largest population centres.

It said: “The establishment of a new Welsh-medium primary school in Milford Haven would address the demand evident within the wider Milford Haven area and provide an opportunity to review and rebalance Welsh-medium catchment boundaries.”

Members backed the recommendation to commence statutory consultation on establishing a new Welsh medium primary school to serve the Milford Haven area.

HEALTH BOARD members are to be quizzed by Pembrokeshire councillors next month over changes to services at Withybush Hospital.

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 two-day meeting earlier this year, 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 the-then 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.

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”.

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

Since then an update was received at the May 14 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council.

A report for members said, following the March meeting, Cllr Harvey, wrote to the-then First Minister Eluned Morgan on March 10, with Chief Executive Will Bramble also writing to the chief executive of  Hywel Dda University Health Board advising him of council’s decision on the same date, requesting his and the Board chair’s attendance at the May council meeting.

It said, since then, Health Board Chair Dr Neil Wooding and Chief Executive Professor Phil Kloer have agreed to attend an Extraordinary Meeting of the council on June 15 to brief the council on service changes and specifically the issue of emergency general surgery, with members having the opportunity to ask questions on the presentation.

Members agreed to note the report ahead of the special June meeting.

Castle ward councillor thanks residents for patience as long-running issue near St Thomas’ Green finally addressed

ROAD resurfacing works at St Thomas’ Green in Haverfordwest have been welcomed by local county councillor Thomas Tudor, who says a long-standing pothole problem near a bus shelter is finally being resolved.

Cllr Tudor, who represents the Castle Ward, said he was pleased to see progress being made on the improvements, particularly in an area that had required repeated repairs over time.

The works, being carried out by Pembrokeshire County Council and contractors, include resurfacing along part of the road close to the bus shelter near St Thomas’ Green.

Cllr Tudor said the pothole had been reported and repaired on numerous occasions before more permanent resurfacing work was approved.

He said: “As County Councillor for the Castle Ward, which includes St Thomas’ Green, I am pleased to see works progressing very well with the road resurfacing, in particular the area by the bus shelter which had a pothole which I have been reporting and having repaired numerous times.

“Many thanks to Pembrokeshire County Council and the various contractors involved and I would also like to apologise to the residents and thank them for their patience and understanding during these essential works.”

The resurfacing has caused some disruption to local traffic while work is underway, with temporary traffic management measures in place.

Residents have been thanked for their patience as crews complete the improvements, which are aimed at providing a safer and smoother road surface for motorists and pedestrians.

Photo caption:

Improvements underway: Cllr Thomas Tudor pictured at St Thomas’ Green as resurfacing works progress (Pic supplied)