Opposition attacks Tories’ schools plan

Jan 21 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

OPPOSITION councillors have attacked new Conservative proposals for schools in north Kirklees.

Labour leader Clr Mehboob Khan criticised the Tories for planning to let parents vote in a special referendum on the issue.

He said: “The Conservatives are avoiding making a decision. The GCSE levels in Kirklees are below average and the Tory proposals do not do anything to increase standards.

“The Government has made it quite clear that because of the credit crunch any council that does not get its proposals in on time runs a very real risk of losing the investment. This is a frightening prospect which must not be allowed to happen.”

Clr Khan also criticised the proposals themselves.

He said: “The Conservatives are suggesting having four schools in Batley. These schools will be very small. The history of such very small schools shows that they under-perform in exam results and are also quite likely to be racially divisive.”

Lib Dem deputy leader Clr John Smithson also opposes the plans for schools in Batley.

He said: “The idea that a single-sex boys’ school of just 300 pupils in Batley can be sustainable or cost-effective for the next 40 years is nonsense. We need to build real community schools serving everyone, schools that can offer major opportunities and big improvements in standards.

Clr Smithson added: “It is becoming clear just how confused the Conservatives are. After weeks of public consultation, already extended by the Conservatives, they have now revealed they have no clear idea what they wish to do and have put forward two new proposals.

“The Conservatives have turned this £200m opportunity into a monumental mess.”

Green leader Clr Andrew Cooper also attacked the referendum plan.

Clr Cooper said: “The original proposals put out by the Conservatives were plainly just wrong. These new ones are plainly just daft.

“I believe they are trying to skew the results of the referendum in favour of their original proposals. Not only are the Conservatives losing the plot, they are also losing the pot – of money.”