News

Extraordinary meeting to discuss fate of three Angle peninsula schools

Published

10 years ago

January 12, 2016

File photo: Angle school

THREE schools in the Angle Peninsula have been threatened with closure and are expected to get the final decision at a special council meeting which will be held on Thursday, January 14.

A report before an extraordinary meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s full council by the Director for Children and Schools Kate Evan-Hughes recommends that Angle VC, Orielton CP and Stackpole VC schools should be closed, and replaced by a new English medium VC school for ages 3-11 in the peninsula.

The recommendation to discontinue the three schools follows a PCC decision to authorise statutory consultation on the proposal which lasted 6 weeks from September to mid October.

The report for councillors published that: “Surplus places in the Angle Peninsula are a cause for concern and represent one of the key elements of a case for change,” adding: “Currently there are 40 per cent surplus places across the schools on the peninsula. Surplus places cost money because schools have to run and maintain buildings that are bigger than they need to be.”

All three schools which are currently led by one headteacher, have a higher cost per pupil than the county average. The report states: “The cost per pupil is currently £5,958 for angle, £4,478 for Orielton, and £4,700 for Stackpole against a county-wide average of £3,615.”

It also makes reference to the current condition of the schools, stating: “The condition of the Angle School buildings, in the ownership of the St David’s Diocesan Board, is described as C-Poor, with Stackpole B-Satisfactory and C-Poor, while Orielton is graded as C-Poor and D-Bad.”

The favoured location for the proposed new 120-pupil capacity school is located across the road from the current Orielton CP School in Hundleton, on land south of The Elms, over 7-miles away from the current locations of Angle school.

A public consultation was held at Pembroke Town Hall on September 28, on the matter which was attended by 50 people. A total of 380 responses were received on the consultation, with 67 per cent of those responding supporting the proposal.

Concerns have been raised with regards to the peninsula’s roads which in the winter can be extremely hazardous, also that people might be drawn away from towns like Angle which will then lose their community feel and become more like “holiday/retirement villages”.

Concerns have been raised about the millions of pounds the proposed new school would cost, which would be jointly funded by the Welsh Government and Pembrokeshire County Council.

Another response said: “For the people who will have to live with the consequences of your proposed school closures, the idea of a large school that is not the centre of any community is more than unappealing, it is saddening.”

Crime

Neighbourhood policing boosted across Dyfed-Powys

Published

5 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Tom Sinclair

DYFED-POWYS POLICE has announced a significant expansion of its Neighbourhood Policing and Prevention Teams (NPPT), with more officers being deployed to frontline roles where demand is greatest.

From Monday (Mar 16), teams across the force area have been strengthened, with a renewed focus on tackling antisocial behaviour and preventing crime at its source.

The force says the move is aimed at reducing repeat demand by addressing the root causes of offending, rather than simply responding to incidents.

To achieve this, a number of officers have been redeployed from central departments back into frontline policing, while new posts are also being created to bolster capacity.

Temporary Chief Superintendent Steve Davies, head of uniform policing, said: “These changes are about increasing frontline visibility and ensuring we have the right resources in the right places.

“They form part of a wider programme of improvements across the force to enhance effectiveness and efficiency, while also supporting the wellbeing of our officers and staff.

“This is positive news for our communities, who will benefit from stronger neighbourhood teams focused on local priorities and proactive policing.”

The expansion has been made possible through Home Office funding under the Neighbourhood Guarantee scheme, which is designed to strengthen community safety and crime prevention.

Dyfed-Powys Police has been allocated £1.4 million for 2025/26, enabling the recruitment of police staff and freeing up officers previously in support roles to return to operational duties.

As a result, four sergeants and 29 police officers have now been reassigned to neighbourhood teams across the force.

Each NPPT area will also have a named officer, with full team details available via the ‘Your Area’ section of the Dyfed-Powys Police website.

The force has also secured early access to 2026/27 Neighbourhood Guarantee funding, which will see a further 12 officers recruited between April and the autumn—adding to overall officer numbers in the region.

Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn said: “Neighbourhood policing is about more than numbers—it’s about relationships.

“Greater visibility helps build trust, strengthens community ties, and reassures the public that policing is present, responsive, and committed to keeping people safe.

“I remain committed to improving police visibility across our communities, and these additional officers will help turn that ambition into reality.”

Crime

Broad Haven man remanded in custody over sexual harm prevention order breach

Published

5 hours ago

March 20, 2026

Court Reporter

Defendant admitted using Xbox without informing police as required under court order

ANTHONY COOMBES, aged 26, of Sand Banks, Broad Haven, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Mar 20) charged with breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard that between February 26 and March 19, 2026, at Haverfordwest, Coombes repeatedly breached the order by using an Xbox device without informing police within three days, as required.

The offences relate to a sexual harm prevention order imposed at Swansea Crown Court on October 20, 2021.

Coombes indicated guilty pleas to the offences at the first hearing.

Magistrates committed the case to Swansea Crown Court for sentence.

He was remanded in custody ahead of the next hearing, which is due to take place at 9:00am on Friday, April 3, at Swansea Crown Court.

The court refused bail on the grounds that he was likely to offend, citing the nature and seriousness of the offences and his previous record and character.

A pre-sentence report was ordered.