An outline business case to Welsh Government for new schools in Milford Haven, has been backed by senior councillors.

At the Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet meeting of May 27, members were asked to approve the submission of an outline business case for the Milford Haven Schools redevelopment to Welsh Government, and to approve the new updated budget for the scheme, in light of completing the outline business case , and make provision within the capital programme.

It was previously reported at the May meeting of full council that the scheme, for both a new English Medium and a Welsh Medium School, won’t be built before 2030 and 2032 respectively.

At that meeting, Cabinet member for education, Cllr Guy Woodham, who had earlier announced he was stepping down from his Cabinet education role, said he felt a personal disappointment to be stepping down before there was “a spade in the ground”.

A report for Cabinet members, presented by Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, Cllr Rhys Sinnett, said following the Sustainable Communities for Learning Strategic Programme Board considering a report on the draft business case it was recommended a new Welsh Medium 3-11 primary school be built on the existing Milford Haven Community Primary School (junior site) and an English Medium provision combined new primary and secondary school building on the existing secondary school site, with some sharing of services.

The schemes also include a 40-place Flying Start centre, a 36-place secondary learning resource centre and a 24-place primary learning resource centre.

It also includes a leisure centre on site, with Thornton Sports Hall demolished as part of scheme, following a March Cabinet backing to support a new leisure investment programme, the funding for that not forming part of the business plan approved.

The report added: “The estimated cost of the scheme has changed from £141,598,965 to £143,617,659, primarily as a result of a change of Welsh Government requirements, from the Building Bulletin to new Area Guidelines, which has required an increase in the Gross Internal Floor Area (GIFA) of the schools to comply, together with further development of the project towards more accurate costs.”

The scheme would see a funding split of: Welsh Government 67.75 per cent, Pembrokeshire County Council 32.25 per cent, a total contribution from the council of £46,316,467

In the report, Director of Resources Jonathan Haswell the scheme would be “the most expensive capital project ever undertaken by the council”.

Members backed the recommendation, new Leader Cllr Tessa Hodgson reflecting it was the first Cabinet meeting without Cllr Guy Woodham in the education role, having stepped back due to health issues, saying he had “worked so hard for this”.

Members backed the recommendations.

Mike Cavanagh, Head of Culture, Leisure, and School Modernisation stressed the business case was not the last part of the process with a full business case expected by the end of the year, and hopes construction would be complete by 2030 and ’32 respectively.