Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Samuel Kurtz has urged the Welsh Government to make a clear statement on what support it can offer Pembrokeshire County Council to ensure that Manorbier School is rebuilt following the devastating fire of October 2022.

The school, which was destroyed by fire on 10 October 2022, was initially expected to be rebuilt by Pembrokeshire County Council. However, the Council then announced a consultation which included the option to permanently close the school, a move that left parents and the wider community deeply disappointed.

This decision was made despite strong local opposition, with more than 1,200 people signing a petition calling for the school to be rebuilt and for education provision to be retained in the village.

Mr Kurtz has now called on the Welsh Government to clarify what assistance it can provide to Pembrokeshire County Council to help secure the future of the Manorbier school site and to support the community’s campaign for its reinstatement.

Speaking outside the Senedd, Mr Kurtz said: “Manorbier School has been at the heart of its community for generations, and its loss has been deeply felt by pupils, parents and residents alike. The strength of feeling shown by the over 1,200 people who signed the petition underlines just how important this school is to the area.

“I’m calling on the Welsh Government to work constructively with Pembrokeshire County Council to find a way forward, that sees the Council honour its original commitment to rebuild the school, so that the community of Manorbier can once again have a village school to call their own.”

A heartfelt plea from parents recently urged the people of Pembrokeshire to sign a petition to help save the school - whilst at the same time slamming the Local Authority for ‘letting the children down’.

Since the devasting fire a ‘school from school’ has been set up in Jameston Village Hall for pupils.

However, the public consultation on the potential closure of Manorbier School, was launched by the Local Authority - despite the staunch opposition of the diocese and fears it has been ‘steamrollered’ through.

County councillor for the ward, Cllr Phil Kidney said the diocese’s response “shows the council in a very bad light”

He said it was “evidently clear that the church is not going to let the council walk away from their responsibilities for the school,” adding:“The way the education department have treated this school is absolutely laughable.”

“Of course we should rebuild this school. We have an obligation to rebuild this school, it’s time to make the right decisions,” added Cllr Kidney.

One parent Charlotte Fortune shared hers and many other parents’ outrage at the situation on social media, stating:“Imagine the council doing absolutely nothing to help. They promised to rebuild the school, set start dates—and then, after all that, decided not to.

“Words cannot capture the anger and disappointment. Our kids deserve better. They deserve the school that was taken from them,” she added.

So far 1245 have signed a petition to save the school. The petition, runs until November 26, 2025 and is accessible on the council’s website