The final steps towards closing three schools in the Angle Peninsula next summer, replacing them with a new build school at Hundleton, are expected to be approved today, March 10.

At a special extraordinary January 14 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, members backed a report by the director for children and schools, Kate Evan-Hughes, recommended Angle VC, Hundleton-based Orielton CP and Stackpole VC schools were closed, and replaced by a new three-11 English medium VC school for the peninsula.

Members agreed to the director being authorised to publish a statutory notice to discontinue the three schools, with the proposed new 120 pupil school on land south of The Elms, Hundleton, across the road from the current Orielton Community School.

However, concerns were raised at the January meeting that a new site had not been clearly identified.

The preferred location near The Elms was mentioned in a 158-page report, but not included in the recommendation before the January meeting.

At today’s meeting of Pembrokeshire’s full council, it is recommended to establish the new VC three-11 school in Hundleton, pencilled in for September 1, 2017.

If approved, the proposal will form part of the council’s 21st Century Schools programme, with a need to submit a business plan to the Welsh Government.

The proposed September 2017 date is dependent on receiving approval of the business case and of gaining planning consent.

Public consultation was held from September to mid October 2015, with 380 responses received, 67 per cent of those responding supporting a new school.

Concerns had been raised in previous reports for councillors about surplus places on the peninsula, and the schools having a higher per-pupil cost than the county average.

At the previous meeting, local member John Allen Mirehouse praised the three schools, adding: “People of the peninsula do want to keep the status quo, however the first choice is not an option.”

He warned: “The future, if an option is not taken, looks grim for all three schools.”

In supporting the previous recommendation, he said: “I do this regretfully but I’m forced to that conclusion by the devastating logic of the report.”