Councillors approve closure of fire-damaged school despite local opposition

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

A fire-ravaged primary school at the centre of a long-running community campaign will close permanently after councillors voted to press ahead with its discontinuation.

Pembrokeshire County Council backed the final stage of the closure process for Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School at a special meeting on Monday, despite strong local opposition and an impassioned appeal from local member Cllr Phil Kidney.

The school has been operating from temporary accommodation at Jameston Village Hall since October 2022, when a fire severely damaged the school building and adjoining schoolhouse.

For years, parents and campaigners had hoped the school would be rebuilt. More than 1,500 people signed a petition calling on the council to restore the school, while the Diocese of St Davids consistently supported rebuilding plans.

However, councillors voted by 30 votes to 23, with four abstentions, to proceed with the closure.

Members were considering a report summarising 62 formal objections to the proposal, alongside alternative options including ending the discontinuation process or beginning a fresh consultation.

The council’s recommendation, presented by deputy leader and cabinet member for education Cllr Paul Miller, was that closure should proceed.

Speaking before the vote, Cllr Kidney paid tribute to campaigners, parents and school staff, including headteacher Sharon Davies.

He said: “The way this authority has treated her and the staff is quite frankly amazing; we have all let these good people down.

“We’ve all let these people down, the way this council has handled this situation is appalling; from day one not one of the executives came up to see these children, no-one came out; if that was Haverfordwest or Tenby they’d be all over the place.”

Cllr Kidney also criticised the consultation process, claiming it focused heavily on St Florence School, where pupils would transfer if the closure goes ahead.

He said the consultation document contained more references to St Florence than to Manorbier itself and was “like a brochure for St Florence”.

Warning councillors against abandoning previous commitments to rebuild the school, he added:

“We’ve been promised by two leaders and the chief executive: ‘Don’t worry we’ll rebuild’.

“Sometimes you’ve got to be big enough and honour your promises; do the right thing today, vote for Manorbier and keep it open.”

Bias

During the debate, councillors heard that the Diocese of St Davids had written to members raising concerns about the process and alleging bias against voluntary controlled schools.

Former council leader Cllr Jamie Adams said the administration should be “ashamed of this debacle”.

However, Cllr Miller defended the recommendation, saying his primary concern was the welfare of pupils.

He said: “I do not think 20 children educated in a welfare centre in Jameston is the best for them.”

He argued that no pupil would be required to travel more than 2.1 miles to attend another school, although Cllr Kidney disputed that figure and suggested some journeys would be significantly longer.

Omnishambles

Cllr Aled Thomas, who chaired the School Modernisation Working Group that originally recommended consultation on closure, said: The whole thing is an omnishambles, a total mess of how it’s been handled, but we are where we are.

“The important thing to remember is the future for these children. There will be kids in that school that have never been taught in a classroom setting.

“Tough decisions are never going to be easy; not a single one of us got elected wanting to be in this position.”

Following the decision, campaign group Friends of Manorbier School issued a statement which said: “Today is a difficult day, as the final decision to close Manorbier Primary School has now been made.

“There were some heartfelt comments and statements during the council meeting. The children, staff, parents and wider community have been waiting far too long for a decision. While this outcome was not unexpected, it is still hard to hear those final words spoken aloud.”

The group said attention would now turn to supporting pupils, families and staff through the transition.