Local councillors have voiced concern that a ‘21st century’ education programme to provide new schools in Tenby, has left one of the new facilities with unfit equipment and a lack of furniture.

A near £8.4 million investment in Tenby’s primary education, saw the opening of two new schools in the town’s Heywood Lane in September, with the junior school becoming the new Welsh medium Community Primary School ‘Ysgol Hafan y Môr’ and a new English medium Voluntary Controlled primary school, ‘Tenby Church in Wales VC Primary School’, built on the adjoining site.

The existing Tenby Infants School was recently demolished as part of the scheme, with the land to be used to create a grassed sports pitch.

Described as a major, long-term and strategic capital investment programme, with the aim of creating a generation of 21st century schools in Wales, the total cost of the new developments was shared between Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government.

However, the programme seems to have left one of the new schools short of essential equipment and furniture.

Correspondence from the head of the Tenby Church in Wales Primary School, Mr. John Palmer, came before members of Tenby Town Council at their meeting on Tuesday night, stating that the facility faced a ‘significant financial challenge’ as it tried to build on the ‘blank canvas’ that had been provided.

“We are very lucky to have a purpose-built ‘21st century school’ and this is a very exciting time for all concerned with the school,” wrote Mr. Palmer.

“The children are already very happy here and the excellent staff team are determined to develop Tenby Primary into the best school in Pembrokeshire!

“Unfortunately, the budget for the building project was stretched and many important features and items were omitted,” he continued, listing a number of features, such as outdoor play and PE equipment, furniture, and up-to-date IT technology, that the new school was left lacking.

“The budget did not provide for play equipment that is already installed in other local schools. The cost of this equipment is substantial.

“Several rooms remain unfurnished, including a meeting room, IT suite, foyer and additional learning areas, as no new furniture was provided at the school.

“We do not have enough chairs to seat a large group of parents for concerts or similar performances

“We have shared the PE equipment from Tenby Infants and Tenby Junior School with Hafan y Mor, this means that we require quite a lot of new PE resources to deliver the lessons we would wish.

“Unfortunately, unlike other recent school building projects, we were not provided with new computers for the school,” he continued.

Other omissions include planting boxes and beds, with plants to go in them, along with a large sign to identify the school from the road.

Commenting on the information provided, the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Laurence Blackhall, said that the news had left him with ‘serious concerns’ over how the school development project had been managed.

“Clearly there are very serious concerns over this, and its ironic that a 21st century education programme, seems to have left the school in a potentially worse position than before in terms of sufficient essential equipment needed,” he told his colleagues.

“It seems to have been a problem in terms of project management from start to finish at the new build, and we need to refer this matter back to Pembrokeshire County Council, in particular their chief executive, Ian Westley, and the authority’s cabinet member for education, Clr. David Lloyd,” added Clr. Blackhall, who said he would also speak to the school’s head in person.

Clr. Paul Rapi said that it would be unfair for the town council to contribute finances to this school, and not the other primary schools in Tenby, while his colleague, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown, said that she’d be more than happy to offer the De Valence Pavilion in Tenby as a venue for the school if they wanted to stage an event or concert to raise funds for equipment, an offer that applied to any of the schools in the town.

“It’s sad that the new school should have to put up with a lack of equipment,” commented Clr. Mrs. Caroline Thomas, with Clr. Trevor Hallett agreeing.

“It’s a very sad state of affairs that this new school has been planned and the authority has not looked after it afterwards. It’s bad management and not the school’s fault!” he remarked.