THE DIOCESE of St Davids will be asked about the possible merger of Haverfordwest primary schools as part of an official consultation Pembrokeshire County Council has decided.

Pembrokeshire councillors discussed two options for school mergers in the county at their full meeting on Thursday, October 19.

The first option was the merger of Mount Airey Nursery and Infants School and Haverfordwest Church in Wales VC School using the current sites, and the second option was the merger of those two schools with Fenton Community School using all three school sites.

Councillors decided to hold talks with the diocese of St Davids about both possible mergers before holding a public consultation on which option would be chosen.

Cllr David Lloyd, cabinet member for education, said Mount Airey and Haverfordwest VC represent the only separate pair of 3-7 and 7-11 schools in the county and that council policy is to phase out what has been described as an “unnecessary transition” for pupils at this age.

“Both schools have extensive collaborative arrangements as a result of the staff at both working together to have their curriculum and develop good practice,” he said.

“The opportunity to create a new primary school entirely in Haverfordwest should be considered.”

Cllr Lloyd highlighted that while the first merger option would be a faith school the second option would be a non-faith school, and acknowledged this would be a concern for some parents.

Cllr Reg Owens said he thought the public should have been made more aware of the plans for a merger before it went to the diocese for discussion.

“If these proposals are going to happen in Haverfordwest then everybody including the governing bodies of the schools should have the chance to make their comments,” he said.

But Kate Evans-Hughes, director of education said that governing bodies had been contacted by the previous council administration earlier in the year as part of the initial report into the merger.

But the director assured members the public would have their say after the Church in Wales: “It is to go to the diocese prior to consultation with the public,” she said.