Three months have now elapsed since Ysgol Manorbier was devastated by fire and there appears to be very little sign that work on rebuilding the primary school is due to commence, causing increasing disquiet over the facility’s future.
County Councillor for the Manorbier ward Cllr Phillip Kidney showed County Councillor Huw Murphy, chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Schools and Learning Scrutiny Committee the scene of the fire damaged school before introducing him to school staff on January 13.
Cllr Kidney said: “Community spirit is clearly a strong element in Manorbier, with Jameston Community Hall throwing their doors open to provide a safe and secure location within the community as a temporary primary school.”
However, Jameston Community Hall trustees have now expressed concern as to how long the temporary school arrangement will remain before the hall is returned to its original purpose of hosting community activities.
Cllr Murphy commented: “It is clear to me that the staff at Ysgol Manorbier are a close knit and loyal team and have a strong ethos towards providing the highest standards of primary education within a rural community and amongst other things I was delighted to see their commitment to the promotion of the Welsh language within the school.”
“School staff have successfully made Jameston Community Hall a ‘School from School’ which is warm and welcoming from the moment you step through the door,” he added.
School staff and Cllr Kidney were assured by Cllr Murphy that he would raise questions with the cabinet member for Education and the Welsh Language, Councillor Guy Woodham, and also to the authority’s Director of Education as to when renovation work would commence and when pupils and staff could expect to return to their much missed school.
Cllr Murphy continued: “The least we can do as a responsible authority is keep parents, staff, pupils and community leaders regularly updated as to the progress with regards to rebuilding timescales and if there are delays why, since no one should be left in limbo especially given the traumatic experience this community have recently gone through.”
