19 SCHOOLS TO CLOSE

This evening the IW Council Cabinet agreed the formal consultation paper on schools closures. It was the paper as published on 23 May, without amendment. The responsible Cabinet member declared a prejudicial interest and left the meeting at the start - the Council Leader leading the presentation of the paper.

There were quite a number of questions tabled by members of the public, but few of them turned up. The audience was a mere 7 members of the public (some more less public than others), 6 other Tory councillors, 1 Tory rebel, 2 Independents who didn't vote against the move to 2-tiers, the Labour PPC, and me. No Liberals.......

I asked a number of questions and I will paraphrase the answers as I interpreted them:

1. Capital receipts from the sale of those of the 19 surplus schools that cannot be utilised alternatively will be ring-fenced by a Tory Council for educational purposes for up to 15 years. I pledged the same for a future Labour Council, though we would want to see all those schools have alternative, community-based futures. The Tories only want some used, preferring to get some capital receipts. No one knows what the Liberals think !

2. If potential future providers of the five new community secondary schools fail to meet the specifications of the tender document, they will revert to IWC management.

3. They will not apply for a waiver of having to offer the new community secondary schools for tender as they believe they have a 'slim chance of success', despite the creditable performances of Sandown and Medina High Schools in recent years.

4. The Council Leader gave me the same commitment that I received from the Schools Director last week - there will be a continuing school provision on the Downside Middle site until such time as the builders are ready to start work on a new Pan Primary School. (I was also told last week this will be built into the tender specification for the new Medina Secondary School).

5. The Council leadership do not anticipate any compulsory teaching job losses, believing that they can shed any excess staffing by voluntary measures. Nothing at all was said about support and ancillary staff. I expressed concern that current middle school staff are being discriminated against under something called the 'significant enlargement' mechanism for primary schools. No one disagreed. One for the unions I think.

6. They are still claiming only 3 school closures and the media seem to be buying that spin. I read them a list of schools that will be surplus to requirements - it numbers 19 (see my post of 29 May). They said they want to use some of them for community uses - but not all.

I hope this is helpful.