Petition to rebuild fire-ravaged school under threat of closure

Bruce Sinclair – Local democracy reporter

A petition calling on a council to keep open a village school, severely damaged in a fire back in 2022, which is now under threat of closure, has attracted nearly 400 signatures in just over a week.

At the May meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members backed a report of the School Modernisation Working Group.

It included a statutory consultation with the St David’s Diocese on proposals to discontinue Manorbier Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School and Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, establishing the latter as a 3-11 Community School.

Manorbier Church in Wales VC School and its adjoining schoolhouse was severely damaged by a fire on October 11, 2022, which broke out in the school roof space.

A ‘school from school’ has been set up in Jameston Village Hall.

Fire

After the May meeting backing of the early stages of a consultation, a report on the diocese’s response to Manorbier was brought to the July meeting, with a recommendation to undertake general consultation on the two schools.

At the July meeting, a response from the St Davids Diocesan Board of Finance (DBF) said: “It is vital that PCC, council members and the public are aware the DBF have always required that the school be reinstated and that this has been put to PCC on a number of occasions, in writing and in meetings.

“From the date of the fire up until May 2025, the DBF has always been led to believe that the school would be reinstated by PCC.”

Consultations 

It stated it was against the proposal to discontinue Manorbier, asking: “Would a consultation on the closure of Manorbier VC School have been proposed had it not been ravaged by fire?”

The recommendations to enter into general public consultations on the two schools were passed at that meeting.

Since then, an e-petition, on the county council’s own website, has been set up by Rebecca Williams, which has gained nearly 400 signatures to date.

The petition, which says closure of the school “will have a detrimental impact on the wellbeing of our children, their families and the wider community” states: “The school has been open since 1873. (152years!).

“We would have been celebrating our 150-year anniversary there in January 2023, had it not been for the fire that damaged the building. A fire, we hasten to add, caused through no fault of our own. A fire, which could, if you allow it to, change the future of our children; our staff; our parents; our governors; our community; our church; our heritage and our history. We fully support the Diocesan’s view that the school should be rebuilt.

“We, the undersigned, beseech Pembrokeshire County Council to reconsider its decision to close Manorbier Church in Wales School and instead honour its promise to rebuild the school; prioritise the needs of the community by rebuilding the school; allowing the dedicated staff and families the opportunity to open its doors to everyone once again.”

It added: “We urge you to rebuild our school, as promised; to engage in a meaningful dialogue with the community; listen to our concerns, and work with us to find a solution that supports the needs of our children and families.”

The petition, started on August 18, runs to November 26 of this year and is accessible on the council’s website.