A rather dim view could be taken against the Isle of Wight Council’s Cabinet if they proceed with plans to close 5 Isle of Wight schools after Full Council voted to oppose the controversial plans last night (Wednesday).
Though not having decision-making power over whether the schools remain open or not, Full Council’s vote expresses its view on the contentious agenda currently being pursued by Councillor Jonathan Bacon and his fellow cabinet members.
A final closure decision will be taken by the cabinet on 6th March – but if they vote to proceed as planned it will be going against the view of local councillors and the popular opinion of the wider Isle of Wight community.
At last night’s meeting at County Hall, a total of 12 members voted against the notices against, Arreton St George’s CE Primary School, Brading CE Primary School, Cowes Primary School, Oakfield CE Primary School and Wroxall Primary School, compared to 11 in favour and 6 abstentions.
Only 29 of the 39 Isle of Wight Councillors were in attendance and of the 11 that voted in favour of closing the 5 schools identified, 8 of them were Cabinet members – meaning just 3 non-cabinet members voted in favour.
However, the chamber did opt to back the process followed in reaching a decision on the proposed closures, with 16 in favour and 13 opposed. But, again, 8 of those 16 in favour were cabinet members.
Councillor Paul Brading, who spearheaded the process vote, said:
“We are still in a live consultation. All the comments, and indeed from the gallery this evening, mention the process followed to get to the decision that is proposed to be made, one way or the other.
“Therefore, as we are purely advising on the current consultation and guiding cabinet, and with all the queries raised about the process followed, internally and externally, I think it’s absolutely right that we focus the time we’ve got this evening on the process.”
The representative for Lake South voted for the process but abstained on the notices.
Councillor Andrew Garratt, leader of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats, said:
“Ultimately, it comes down to whether the informed stakeholders that we repeatedly hear from the gallery and through our emails and other fora are satisfied that the process is fair, even if they dislike the outcome.
“Nothing suggests to me these people, who are well informed about their schools and their communities and the children that attend those schools, are confident in any way in the process. And therefore, we as their elected representatives should stop that process and begin again and do it right.”
Cllr Garratt and his Liberal Democrat colleagues opposed both the process and notices.
Councillor Geoff Brodie accused the Liberal Democrat group of being populist, playing to the gallery and not knowing how to make hard decisions to which Cllr Nick Stuart responded: ‘point of order!’.
Cllr Brodie said:
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that place planning, surplus places need to be dealt with. They should have been dealt with some time ago.
“We have an excess of places – that has an effect on every school. Let’s face it – doesn’t matter which schools are on the list – there’ll be a campaign against it. We all know that, that’s the real world.”
The representative for Pan and Barton backed the process but voted against the notices.
His original bid for votes on each of the notices was amended to one single vote on all of them.
A report presented to the cabinet prior to its 12th December vote to press ahead with the closures cited decreasing numbers of primary pupils on the Island, described the consequences of having too many surplus places as ‘severe’ and recommended closures due to a ‘significant reduction’ in Isle of Wight birth rates.
It said action was proposed to ensure ‘demand and capacity are aligned’ so the council continues to provide the ‘best outcomes’ for children.
County Hall’s statutory consultation on the closures will end on 3rd February.
We all know that the Cabinet will once again ignore the Full Council and vote for school closures
If savings must be made then they must close.
We can’t just keep schools open so people keep their
jobs.
If there are not enough children to fill them, then close them.
Alternatively move families from the mainland to the island
and fill the classrooms that way.
Your choice.
Lol
I don’t get it, if savings must be made then close the
unnesseccary schools.
Once again you’re showing your undignified obsession. Who gives s*it what you think about schools?
Same as postponing the council elections, the so called cabinet overrules the full council.
Then get rid of the council and save money, just have a self serving doctors hip.