County Hall’s ‘flawed’ school proposals will be met with trade union resistance in their current form, a prominent trade unionist has said.
Mark Chiverton, secretary of Unison’s Isle of Wight branch, spoke on behalf of the UK’s largest trade union on the Island, saying Councillor Jonathan Bacon and Ashley Whittaker’s plans to reduce surplus school places and expand SEND provision must be reconsidered.
In an interview at a Newport protest earlier this week, he said:
“We’ve attended all the consultation meetings, both consultation meetings with staff which have talked about their concerns in terms of job losses and their future and the loss of such a huge amount of experience and skill, and we’ve also attended the meetings with parents which have raised the particular concerns of parents in a couple of areas.
“We do believe the council needs to look again at the proposals. It needs to listen carefully to what parents are saying.
“We believe there is a real danger that whilst proposals along these lines potentially could ease parts of the current financial difficulty, the danger is that a huge amount could be lost in that process which would actually be detrimental to many children on the Isle of Wight – the loss of a huge amount of experience and skill.
“Plus particular problems for children with special educational needs for whom it’s going to be particularly disruptive.”
The public sector trade union official said the policy of joint trade unions and their members, including Unison, the National Education Union and GMB, was to oppose the proposals.
He added trade unions would continue to make representations around jobs and the “detrimental” effect the plans would have on the education community, the wider Isle of Wight community and the Island economy.
Cabinet member Jonathan Bacon and director of children’s services Ashley Whittaker have said their proposals to reduce surplus school places and expand SEND provision are in response to an inefficient allocation of places which holds back children’s educational attainment.
National body the Local Government Association endorsed County Hall’s plans last week, saying they have a direct link with improved outcomes for pupils.
If there are considerably fewer children to educate, fewer teachers and other staff are required. Also the overheads of running the current accommodation have to reduced pro rata by closing a few schools. To tax leave resources exactly as they are now means considerable increase in council.
The unions would be better advised to remove their heads from the sand and engage with the council to agree a cost-effective slimming regime.
If savings need to be made, then the Council must
act.
Close down the schools and move on.