TORY leaders have submitted their views to the man deciding the fate of Mirfield’s Castle Hall School.
They have sent documents to Canon Richard Lindley outlining their u-turn on closure plans after a huge public consultation exercise.
And Clr Jim Dodds insisted that they had stuck to their views that both Castle Hall and Mirfield Free Grammar School should be retained, despite their earlier proposals to shut Castle Hall.
Canon Lindley is the independent expert appointed by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator to rule on the Castle Hall controversy.
He spent two days in Mirfield last week meeting hundreds of parents, staff and school governors from both schools.
His recommendation, due in a few weeks, will be binding.
Kirklees Council prompted a huge outcry when the Cabinet finally put forward proposals to shut Castle Hall, as part of its £200m Building Schools for the Future project.
The school governors lodged an appeal with the adjudicator’s office and hope to overturn the decision.
The Tory cabinet which had originally put forward the closure plan changed their minds in view of the strength of feeling, but the Labour and Lib-Dem groups subsequently voted to shut Castle Hall.
Clr Dodds, Tory group leader, said: “Following the extensive consultation, the Conservative Cabinet believed the original proposals could have adversely affected education provision in Mirfield and that the two schools in question should both be retained.
“This view was enhanced by the fact that an expanded Mirfield Free Grammar School was not a sustainable option in terms of accessibility for the pupil numbers involved and should not be pursued.
“Whilst this matter has been an emotion charged political roller coaster, I personally believe the future education provision of our children should be above politics. I do believe political viewpoints and changes in these should be taken into consideration.
“The Conservative administration proposed the closure of Castle Hall and other political groups as well as those directly affected in Mirfield effectively opposed this at the time.
“As a result, of the consultation the Conservative Group changed their view as to the closure of Castle Hall and amended their proposals in line with the views expressed and the political opposition.
“As a direct consequence of these actions the Conservative Cabinet was removed from power. The subsequent proposals from the Labour and Liberal Democrat alliance which went on to run the council, proposed the closure of Castle Hall, a complete about-face to the views they had put into the public domain previously.”
