AN EXTRAORDINARY meeting of the County Council took place earlier today to discuss the future of secondary education in Pembrokeshire.

Councillors were asked to approve a modified set of proposals concerning the Fishguard and St Davids area, which would see education continue in Solva.

The recommendation was to discontinue Solva School along with Ysgol Dewi Sant and Ysgol Bro Dewi in St Davids and to create a new 3-16 Church in Wales Voluntary Aided school.

But - unlike the previous proposal which said it was likely to declare the Solva site surplus to requirement – the latest plan is to utilise all three sites as bases for the new school.

Members approved the recommendations, which also include designating Ysgol Bro Gwaun as an 11-16 school and to provide additional ALN provision for pupils with complex learning needs, and provide post 16 provision for the above schools in a new sixth form centre as part of a formal collaboration between the County Council and Pembrokeshire College.

While some members welcomed the fact that education would continue in Solva, concerns were raised during the debate.

Cllr Mike Stoddart said there would be some parents who did not wish their children to have a faith education and asked who would pay to transport them to Roch School as an alternative.

Cllr Paul Miller said: “This administration has overseen the greatest proliferation of religious education in a generation in Pembrokeshire. I’m not in favour of it and we shouldn’t be doing it.”

At the same meeting councillors backed recommendations which would see the statutory consultation on secondary education in Haverfordwest abandoned and restarted for a third time.

The Director for Children and Schools will now consult with the Trustees of the Tasker Milward and Picton Charity on proposals to discontinue Sir Thomas Picton and Tasker Milward VC schools, establish a new 11-16 English medium secondary school in Haverfordwest and to provide additional ALN provision for pupils with complex learning needs, and provide post 16 provision for the above school in a new sixth form centre as part of a formal collaboration between the County Council and Pembrokeshire College, with some accommodation co-located on the site of the 11-16 school.

Commenting on the consultation process, Cllr Viv Stoddart said: “The public out there think it’s a shambles and I would have to agree with them.

“We are ignoring the very strong voice of parents, pupils and the Haverfordwest community. This recommendation ignores everything you have heard from them.”