Last night was Full Council - and we witnessed what we can only hope will be our very own "Geoffrey Howe moment" as former Deputy Tory Leader Patrick Joyce savaged the new Tory administration for reneging on their manifesto commitments against a two-tier school system. He was joined in this by his fellow ex-Cabinet member Melanie Swan - but to no avail on the vote:
The proposed new schools organisation consultation went through overwhelmingly with the Liberals voting together for a change, but shamefully all in favour of the sham Tory consultation - two-tier or the madcap Tory scheme agreed last April (the one that puts Year 9 into middle schools). No option of 'no change of structures, just standards' - as Labour has CONSISTENTLY called for and voted for over the last year.
The vote was 31 in favour (including all 4 Liberals and the new Scrutiny Chair), 5 against (me, Gardiner, Joyce, Swan, Mosdell), and 3 abstentions (Tories Ward and McRobert, and Stephens - Independent)
Interestingly the Tory MP for the Island has apparently said that the reasons for change have NOT been demonstrated. So true ! But that won't bother the Mr Unfettered Ambition who now leads the Council.
NB. The back of the Council Chamber used to have chief officers sat there that I recognised. Its now a line up of many mystery people - three or four last night. The usual lack of respect to opposition backbenchers. .......
3 comments:
It takes ba11s to admit you are wrong and the Tories were wrong about ruling out a two tier system at the last election. Leadership on this issue is long overdue.
If this is the school system in the rest of the UK then it should be the system here UNLESS we can demonstrate good results which we cannot. Most importantly only Island teachers are working the 3 tier system, recruiting new teachers is impossible if you're not doing what everyone else does. Our teaching staff need to know where they are and co-operate in a way that at present isn't happening.
Sorry Geoff, you're wrong on this one as are island Labour.
Fair enough. Just to say that never ending proposals to change systems will not improve standards
Geoff, as I understand things from a horses mouth, Mr Sutton was constrained from full consultation in 2006 by the MP. That is how the current cock-eyed proposal (Option 1) was dragged together on the basis that Mr S felt it would not upset anyone. There was no thought given to improving standards or helping kids to improve their results and as far as I am told there still isn't.
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