WE are fast approaching the second anniversary of the beginning of consultations relating to the re-organisation of secondary education in Haverfordwest.

In February 2014 the people of our county town were invited to express their opinions in what was later to be referred to as an unofficial consultation. They gave those opinions honestly, little knowing that Cllr Jamie Adams, had eight months earlier, decided on what the town was to be offered.

For reasons best known to himself, he decided to keep his plans secret until January 2015 (a further 11 months later), allowing his unsuspecting public to believe that the public consultation was authentic. To dwell on his sheer dishonesty at this stage would be simply to state the obvious.

Nearly twelve months later he is no nearer his goal. In fact during the passage of time the integrity of his early contentions have been seriously undermined.

He persuaded his council to commission, at considerable expense to the public purse, an independent report (Tribal).

Later he professed to his unsuspecting public, and I believe his equally unsuspecting council, that it definitely supported his contention that our students would be best taught at the College.

Despite the fact that Tribal was asked to concentrate on information that backed up his claims, they came to the conclusion that he was wrong and that our students would be best taught in a Sixth Form Centre run by a school in Haverfordwest.

He stated that the Welsh Office would not forward its promised matching £75million unless we allowed his plan to go forward and that we were seriously running out of time. There is absolutely no correspondence from the Welsh Government to verify such claims.

He accused Haverfordwest people of being selfish for looking after their children’s interest at the expense of the young people of St Davids and Fishguard. It no longer appears that these highly emotive and insulting remarks carry any weight as the Principal of the College has stated that her ambitions can be met without the involvement of the post-16 pupils of Haverfordwest.

He has given the impression gathering the council’s £75million is no problem. At the last PCC meeting he informed his fellow members that £58million has already been accumulated. The fact that £21million has come from capital receipts and £27million has had to be borrowed, seemed to go over the heads of members already suffering from mid-afternoon weariness. The fact that further borrowing may well be necessary did not seem to concern them.

Perhaps, when those figures have sunk in, someone may ask, “What assets have we sold to get those capital receipts?” and “What opportunities are we going to miss by using them in the suggested way?”

They may also wonder in these times of punishing austerity from what source future loan repayments may be gleaned.

Perhaps his most underhanded action has been to join with his Director of Education and his Cabinet Member for Education in stating, in what could be described as a mildly triumphant tone, that the two Haverfordwest schools are failing.

Here he is talking about the two schools closest to the director’s desk (a 15-minute walk). I feel such remarks are a gross insult to hard working members of staff and caring governors who freely spend much time supporting their teachers and students.

They should be thanked and encouraged instead of being constantly criticised How those three people, who are most responsible for the education of our children, and who have succeeded only in landing our authority in 16th position out of 22 in the league tables, can make such comments, beggars belief.

In an earlier letter to the press, I suggested a Plan B that would see Pembroke and Haverfordwest have brand new state-of-the-art 11 to 19 schools; St Davids and Fishguard have their wish to have their post-16 pupils educated at the College, and that a Welsh secondary school should be developed in the county town. Surely these are all aims that can be met within the timescale set.

These are not original thoughts, they are the wishes of people who are far more interested in their children’s welfare than they are in assisting Pembrokeshire College fulfill its ambitions.

Sadly, it would appear that Cllr Adams has not got the strength of character to admit his error. It seems that, by hook or by crook, he is determined to retain the support of a failing Education Department and of a sufficient number of councillors who feel they owe him, and not the people, their allegiance. It is now truly Cllr Adams versus the people. A simple choice for our councillors to make and one that will surely be closely watched as the local elections draw nearer.

PETER LEWIS

By email