The Isle of Wight Council’s own Corporate Scrutiny Committee has recommended that Cabinet halt plans to shut 5 Isle of Wight primary schools – with the all important decision set to be made tomorrow night (Thursday).
Citing insufficient evidence as well as community and social impacts, the panel recommended the primaries remain open and the whole process be referred to the Council’s new committee system of governance, due to take effect from May.
If this happens, it means Arreton, Brading, Cowes, Oakfield and Wroxall Primary Schools will not close in August as currently planned. If the whole process is started again (for the second time) then it could mean other schools are identified for closure, putting worry on parents, pupils and staff across the Island.
Leading closures critic Councillor Michael Lilley spearheaded the move which was backed by a majority of the committee including councillors Warren Drew, Clare Mosdell, Rodney Downer, Chris Jarman and Ryde Town Council’s Councillor Simon Cooke.
The Green Party’s Councillor Joe Lever and Councillor Claire Critchison voted against it, alongside Pan and Barton’s Councillor Geoff Brodie and the leader of the Isle of Wight Conservatives, Councillor Ed Blake.
They previously supported a defeated motion put forward by Cllr Blake which, though similarly expressing disquiet over a lack of evidence, recommended cabinet ‘carries through with the closures where appropriate’ but ‘gives serious consideration’ to the Committee’s concerns.
In a fiery attack on Cllr Lilley’s proposal, met with cries from the public gallery, Cllr Brodie said:
“Sometimes when you’re a councillor you have to make decisions or recommendations that are unpopular – that’s what’s happening under the cabinet at the moment with this whole issue.
Article continues below this advertisement “You need to show a level of responsibility and I’m getting a little worried that you’re not – that you’re arguing on behalf, purely, of small sections of the Island.
“The bottom line is, the whole primary school system on the Isle of Wight needs to deal with surplus places and it’s quite clearly evident, no matter which schools are on the list, there will be a campaign against it.
“But sometimes people have to stand up against that. Now if you are genuinely saying that in almost 3000 pages that you all tell me you’ve read, that you are not convinced that an argument has been put for every single one of those schools…then you’re being entirely disingenuous.
“I don’t know how you look in the mirror.”
Cllr Mosdell hit back:
“I have made some really difficult decisions when I was a cabinet member – I closed four mental health day centres having thoroughly researched them.
“I went to every single one, I brought to cabinet and to scrutiny exactly why they should be closed.
“I’ve made brave decisions and I stick by decisions but they have to be thoroughly researched, I have to be thoroughly convinced and I have to know that the argument I am putting forward is not just purely on a financial basis without managing the mitigating circumstances.
“The cost that it has to the public purse if this is done wrong is actually huge.”
Applause erupted from the gallery.
Nick Binfield, Campaigner, Save Brading School says:
“We echo the strength of feeling seen and heard at last night’s Isle of Wight Council Corporate Scrutiny meeting, demanding the Cabinet respect the views of all stakeholders, including the Diocese of Portsmouth, and pause this school closure process with immediate effect.
“We have consistently highlighted our concerns over: the use of evidence; significant community impact; and equality of process. There have been repeated calls by parents, staff and the Diocese for Brading CE Primary School to be removed from this closure list, which the Cabinet – led by the Alliance Group – have continued to ignore.
“We believe that the wrong schools have been selected for closure and, given the proposals did not even command a majority vote of support of Full Council at the end of January, they should be immediately withdrawn.”
“I have made some really difficult decisions when I was a cabinet member – I closed four mental health day centres having thoroughly researched them.
I went to every single one, I brought to cabinet and to scrutiny exactly why they should be closed…”
Hmmm. Someone seems very persistent in closing much needed services. Rather than be in a position to PROMOTE certain services, they seem more interested in putting forward reasons to cut such services.
This action is from someone I can guarantee would not like the auditing that is happening over the pond right now.
They have to find money for their gold plated pensions from somewhere.
That’s what the council tax increase covers.
They charge more council tax, they provide less
services, therefore more money goes in to their gold
plated pension pot.
Whilst this makes interesting reading it does raise a question. The various councillors involved in these decisions seem very convinced by their individual interpretations of what is best. What concerns me is what qualifications these councillors possess that entitles them make such decisions.
Mosdell is pure evil, loves to cut the things that will give people stability and is a much need asset to communities.
Great at planning though
Lol
What a load of sh@T, if savings must be made then
close them.
This scrutiny committee couldn’t undo a packet of crisps
between them.
Another waste of our tax payers money.
Children’s wellbeing should be our absolute top priority. The way housebuilding is rocketing on the island there will not always be minimal numbers. As far as education is concerned small is beautiful.
Majority of new homes are for pensioners
moving to the island, not families with children.
That simply isn’t true. Small schools often mean mixed age classes and scant resources. The current over-provision of places is unsustainable and is eating into money that could be spent elsewhere…or even in improving provision and conditions in remaining schools.m
Your statement makes no sense, while they may be building houses where is there any evidence of an increase in population, peopledie all the time and if anything is proveable the population of the island is decreasing.