Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC) will refer the possible purchase of Scolton Manor to its economy overview and scrutiny committee for further consideration, cabinet has decided.

The authority finds itself "between a rock and a hard place" in terms of the historic Haverfordwest house.

The council currently operates the popular attraction and pays a fixed annual rent of £13,875 to the Welsh Church Act Fund (WCAF).

However trustees wish to increase the rent payable to WCAF or for the site to be sold. The rent rise would be "back-dated", but details of what this entails have not been released.

The potential rent increase is also "currently unclear", but it is thought the annual payment could increase to between £60,000 and £90,000.

In recent years, the estate has benefitted from several large external grants, including European funding for the walled garden of £350,156 and £50,000 from Sports Wales for exercise trails.

PCC also signed a ten year tenure – which started in May 2011 – with the Pembrokeshire Beekeepers Association. On the back of this agreement two grants totalling £50,000 were secured.

If the council pulls out of its involvement in Scolton Manor, it could face a "grant claw back" of over half a million pounds, other costs would include staff redundancies and the "considerable" outlay required for an alternative facility to house the county's museum collections.

A report to cabinet by Director of Development, Steven Jones, recommended that the authority negotiate best value to purchase the manor site.

Head of Cultural Services, Mike Cavanagh, said that Scolton manor was a "real gem" for Pembrokeshire.

"It hits so many of the outcomes we are all working towards," he said. "It is becoming more sustainable, we have reduced our costs by a third and over four years we can make the site profitable."

Council leader Jamie Adams said the situation was a "real conundrum for the authority in terms of the decision we have to make".

Cllr Adams suggested the economy overview and scrutiny committee carry out a SWAT analysis of the Scolton situation, saying this would be a "positive way forward".