THERE was just one vote in it as councillors agreed to accept a statement of understanding on the provision of A levels by schools and Pembrokeshire College.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been discussed by councillors for a number of weeks, having been sent to scrutiny committee by full council last month.

A scrutiny committee earlier this month made some changes to the document which was discussed at an extraordinary meeting at County Hall earlier today.

The revised memorandum, and an additional amendment to review its effectiveness in 14 months, was agreed 25 votes to 24.

Some councillors had been concerned that reference to subjects with fewer than 18 pupils would be financially unviable would lead to the closure of school sixth forms “by the back door”.

A revised memorandum now added “currently unviable” to reflect that figures are subject to change with different funding capacities.

The potential for “cross-subsidisation” of subjects was also a possibility, councillors were told.

Cabinet member for education, Cllr David Lloyd told the meeting that the agreement would support continuing deliver of a levels in “our satellite schools”.

He added that delaying the decision would “continue to impoverish key stage four” which was why there was urgency to vote on the agreement.

Council leader Cllr David Simpson added: “I think what we have got now in the revised memorandum is an awful lot better, it isn’t perfect but it’s where we are.

“I do believe that his memorandum is the way forward.”

An extraordinary meeting of the council’s Schools and Learning Overview and Learning Committee last week heard that the current A-level system in Pembrokeshire was unsustainable and was overspending by around £1.5 million.

Questions were raised about how any disputes about a school’s a level provision would be raised and members were told schools, governors and an A Level Committee.

A recorded vote was held after much discussion and the memorandum agreed, meaning a level students will be told in February what their options are for the next academic year.