Proposals for a Pembrokeshire Church in Wales school is to be discontinued are “fundamentally flawed,” in part due to land ownership issues, councillors have heard.

At last May’s meeting, Pembrokeshire County Council considered a report of the School Modernisation Working Group which outlined the findings of a review of education provision in the Preseli area. A later July meeting backed a general consultation to discontinue Cilgerran Church in Wales Voluntary Controlled School, and to establish it as a 3-11 community school.

“In particular, the review considered the extent of surplus school places in the area, set against a significant decline in the pupil population,” the council in its consultation has said.

The consultation closed on January 30.

Hundreds have opposed the proposed changes, with a petition, on the council’s own website opposing the changes recently closing after gaining 391 signatures.

Any petition of more than 100 signatures triggers a debate at a council scrutiny committee, in the case of Cilgerran that debate taking place at the February 5 schools and learning overview and scrutiny committee.

The Cilgerran e-petition, created by Louise Williams, said of the proposed changes: “Ysgol Cilgerran VC school has strong links with the Church community in Cilgerran and we believe this [change] will have a negative impact on the children who attend the school, the community of Cilgerran and the links between the two. “We are proud of our school ethos and values which are strengthened by our links with the church. The school has close and strong relationships with our Church in Wales federation governors one of which is also our safeguarding governor.

“Our Church Federation governors work closely with the school and are regular visitors to the school and the children. They provide vital support and guidance to the school and have a positive impact on the children’s education. We believe these links will be weakened by this proposal to remove our VC status and we believe this is an un-necessary action.”

Speaking at the meeting, vice-chair of the school governors Gary Fieldhouse said the loss of the Church in Wales status would be “a profound mistake,” the school’s association with the church “not symbolic but fundamental,” with “a sense of belonging” that would not be the same if it lost that link and would “change the essence of what we are”.

He said the were issues of land ownership, and the “thriving” school, in a strong financial position with no deficit, was likely to benefit in terms of numbers when a new housing estate in the village was built.

Reverend John Cecil said the proposals were “fundamentally flawed,” with the school’s land legally in trust as a Church of Wales school, and change “essentially creating a new school with no premises to occupy”.

Cabinet member for education Cllr Guy Woodham repeated assurances he had given when petitions for other schools in the county, which are facing potential closures, saying final reports on the school’s future would be “as balanced as possible”.

“I’m happy to give that assurance again; to present in a fair way so councillors can make an informed decision.”

Members heard that legal conversations connected with that issue were ongoing, agreeing to note the petition.

A report on the final proposals will be brought to a future council meeting.