With parents, pupils, local councillors and even teaching staff being left in the dark over Pembrokeshire Council’s plans to shake-up schools in the locality - is it any wonder that trust in the Local Authority is at an all time low, with a lack of transparency afforded to all the teaching staff that would be hit by such potential major changes. And what a time to drop these latest proposals, right before Christmas!

The plans could see consideration given to the discontinuation of three longstanding primary schools for Tenby, Saundersfoot and Stepaside.

In the case of Tenby Church in Wales VC School - built just nine years ago, it was only announced last month, that pupils face being forced to relocate due to a leaking roof!

Such smaller village schools are seen as the heart of the communities they serve.

But it isn’t the schools themselves that are at fault here for any failings, but the Local Authority.

PCC’s Director of Education may as well be given the keys to the nearest bulldozer to carry out any such changes himself, as the supposed ‘consultations’ that these proposals will bring are likely to be ignored by anyone opposing them.

As one of the county councillors for Saundersfoot, Cllr Alec Cormack stated: “The very people that are expert at delivering education have had no warning of this. The communities deserve to be given more than three days’ notice of the proposal.”

Should anyone be surprised at this latest news though, with the appalling way Pembrokeshire Council has handled the situation with Manorbier School, severely damaged in a fire just over three years ago, and now seemingly surplus to requirements.

County Councillor for the ward, Cllr Phil Kidney summed it up best at the meeting of full council, stating: “We’ve been living this process now for three years, and we’ve been at worst lied to, and at best misled for three years.

“We’ve got a community living under this shadow. It’s just not fair to treat our colleagues at the school this way.”

Perhaps PCC’s Director of Education needs to be taught a lesson himself in morals.