Councillors tried to ‘hoodwink’ parents over school closures

Nov 18 2008 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

COUNCILLORS have been accused of misleading parents over plans to shut a school.

Dewsbury MP Shahid Malik believes Mirfield’s Conservative councillors have tried to “hoodwink” people over the closure of Castle Hall School.

In September Kirklees Council’s Conservative-run Cabinet announced plans to close the Mirfield high school. However new plans are currently being drawn up after a concerted campaign by angry parents.

Mr Malik accused Clr Vivien Lees of misleading parents over the issue. His charge relates to an article in a weekly paper with the headline: “Castle Hall definitely safe, says councillor”.

The Labour MP said: “Parents and children who have put a huge amount of effort into our campaign to save Castle Hall will be rightly horrified at this disgraceful stunt to hoodwink them at the eleventh hour.”

Mr Malik added that Clr Lees and her fellow Conservative councillors in Mirfield had initially been in favour of shutting Castle Hall.