News

South Pembrokeshire: Council proposes ‘discontinuing’ schools

Published

10 years ago

August 31, 2015

Tom Sinclair

File photo: Angle school

RURAL COMMUNITIES south and west of Pembroke face the potential loss of their school following a formal consultation by the local authority.

Angle, Orielton, and Stackpole schools face closure and/or amalgamation on a single site under the proposals.

However, the proposals are not new and have been doing the rounds at County Hall since at least 2013, when Jamie Adams told The Herald that a review of schools provision on the Angle Peninsula was to be undertaken.

In October 2014, the Council launched a preliminary consultation on its plans for the schools that would be directly affected by any changes.

That consultation, prepared by former director for Children and Schools Jake Morgan, set out three options. Retention of all existing school sites; amalgamation of Orielton School with either Monkton Priory or Ysgol Gelli Aur with federation of Angle and Stackpole schools, and closure of Angle, Stackpole, and Orielton schools with a new school to be established on one of the existing sites whether under community or voluntary control.

While Jamie Adams has previously criticised the local press for their use of words in the Council’s own internal reports, it is noteworthy that the word ‘closure’ is used in all documents apart from the announcement of the statutory consultation.

At that time the review gave no steer on where a replacement school would be built; however, The Herald has noted the October 2014 document’s observation that whereas Orielton and Angle schools present significant challenges for expansion, the Stackpole school site is large enough to accommodate a larger building. However, difficulty in parking at that site is highlighted as a barrier to further development.

Estyn’s judgements at all the above schools are that they provide good value for money. However, the current pupil values are such that it costs £2284 more to fund a place at Angle VC School than the county average. Across the peninsula as a whole, pupils’ values are £1187 greater than the county average.

With the possibility of amalgamating at different sites, Monkton and Gelli Aur, assessed as poor, the Council has decided to proceed with the next phase of the consultation by presenting the option of closure of the three rural schools and their amalgamation under voluntary control for children aged 3-11.

However, the preliminary consultation document accepted that the isolation of the communities served by the schools, particularly Angle, meant that there was work to be done on ensuring transport provision was sufficient for any new school. The condition of the road network connecting the disparate villages is also a significant cause for concern, with pupils from Angle either facing travel through the village of Castlemartin or travelling as far as the top St Daniel’s Hill, under a mile from Ysgol Gelli Aur, to reach any combined school located in Stackpole.

It is noteworthy that three other sites were identified, with one in Maidenwells, at property already owned by the local authority, being cited as a possible location for a new purpose-built school to serve all three communities.

A consultation document and response form will be available on the County Council’s website from Thursday, September 3 and the closing date for responses is Friday, 16th October 2015.

There will also be a public information session at Pembroke Town Hall on Monday, 28th September from 6.30pm to 8pm. At that information session, Kate Evan-Hughes, Director for Children and Schools, will give a presentation on the proposal, to be followed by a question and answer session.

Parents, teachers, and other local residents are invited to come and give their views.

Information provided to children and young people will be presented in such a way that it is relevant to their age and level of likely understanding and be in accordance with the National Standards for Children and Young People’s Participation.

Business

First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead

Published

19 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon, marking the start of physical deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.

The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, bringing tower sections and other heavy components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the existing gas terminal at Waterston.

A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, is due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.

The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.

Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the latest movements in emails to the Herald.

“The Peak Bergen arrived yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”

The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock. Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.

Weather conditions are currently favourable for this morning’s arrival of the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.

The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are expected to begin next week, subject to final police and highway approvals.

A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.

Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery programme continues.

Photo: Martin Cavaney

Crime

Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood

Published

24 minutes ago

December 4, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.

SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST

Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.

The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.

COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION

Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.

Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.

She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.

The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.

Local Government

Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Council pollution officers say they have no enforcement powers over Welsh Water infrastructure

SEWAGE contamination on the Commons in Pembroke has prompted an urgent response from pollution officers, after a leak was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team confirmed they were alerted yesterday afternoon to sewage surrounding a manhole cover on the site. The Herald understands that officers immediately notified Welsh Water (DCWW) network technicians to investigate the incident “as a matter of urgency”.

County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the authority had been clear that it holds no enforcement powers over Welsh Water assets.

“Whilst we work constructively with Welsh Water, we have no authority to intervene on their apparatus or to carry out enforcement action against them for such pollution incidents,” the Pollution Control Team said in a statement shared with the councillor.

Urgent works underway

Council officers visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside contractors and Welsh Water technicians to assess clean-up options. According to the team, works will include cleaning the contaminated ground in and around the manhole cover and fencing off the affected area “until safe”.

Cllr Grimes said officers would return to the scene on Thursday to check on progress and ensure the area is properly secured.

Residents who notice any further issues have been urged to contact the Pollution Control Team directly.

Further updates are expected later this week.