Following Pembrokeshire County Council's decision yesterday (Thursday) to consult on the proposals to create a new Welsh school in Haverfordwest 3-16 and keep Fishguard and St. David's schools, but without post-16 provision, Bethan Williams, area officer for Cymdeithas yr Iaith in Dyfed, said: "We are very glad that Welsh medium education is being developed in the Haverfordwest area with a new Welsh medium secondary school - this is a significant step for Welsh medium education in the county.

"However, the proposal to centralise post-16 education on a Pembrokeshire College campus in Haverfordwest means that the number of pupils studying through Welsh post 16 will fall. How many pupils from the Haverfordwest and Milford Haven area are likely to travel all the way to Crymych to carry on with their Welsh education let alone those from St. David's and Fishguard?

"There is also cause for celebration with the community of St. David's as councillors voted in favour of a motion to keep the school there, although there won't be post-16 provision. We are glad that councillors did not accept, without question, education officers recommendations to close St. David's School and give the impression that it would me 'merged' with Bro Gwaun."

She added: "Unfortunately, although Welsh primary education is flourishing in the South West of the county, the new secondary school in Haverfordwest makes very little difference to that area. The decisions today and in the coming months will decide the future of education for the years to come; we share the concerns of parents in the Tenby area that they are still being left behind and that we will still see pupils leave the Welsh language at the school gate at the end of the day.

"Today's decision will be subject to consultation in the coming months. We hope that today's decision will be something to build on and that we see Welsh medium education being developed across the county, so that each pupil receives part of their education in Welsh and will be able to go on to speak and work in Welsh."