The Myers Grove - Wisewood schools merge debate

[ajaxer 10]

Well done to all those who have

ensured that £20 million of education help now goes elsewhere

whilst both schools remain as they are,well that,s democracy

and a Mayor who has to cast the deciding vote with his own

party working for the common good .

Is it not???

[joanne5600 10]

Im sorry, but this story regarding the school merging not going ahead.

Why not? Surely its better to have one large school with more investment which in the long run equals better education.

 

But no, lazy parents who simply cannot be arsed to walk there PLD's an extra couple of miles.

 

i dont consider not being arsed to walk from wadsley to stannington lazy - 11yr olds walking about 3 miles is a lot

 

then theres the kids who live up the road at the top of stannington, wouldnt be seen dead at myers got to go to bradfield so that us at wadsley would have to go to myers - glad the mergers not happening

[Umeeksk 10]

I think anyone who's worried about the funding issue should ask the Labour party where exactly this money's gone.

 

So they withdraw £20m of funding because they haven't got their way, and then accuse the other side of "playing politics with children's future"? That's a good one!

 

People in the area want this money - wait, correction - THEIR money to be spent on two quality community schools.

 

Is this what "a Labour Council working with a Labour Government" gets us these days?

 

Local people stood up to a deeply unpopular plan and won - if Labour are going to respond to that by taking their bat and ball home then they will be judged very poorly at the ballot box (again )

[melissalil 10]

Perhaps umeesk would like to comment on fact that a Lib Dem councillor resigned from the governing body of Myers Grove the day before the council meeting

[redrobbo 10]

I think anyone who's worried about the funding issue should ask the Labour party where exactly this money's gone.

 

So they withdraw £20m of funding because they haven't got their way, and then accuse the other side of "playing politics with children's future"? That's a good one!

 

People in the area want this money - wait, correction - THEIR money to be spent on two quality community schools.

 

Is this what "a Labour Council working with a Labour Government" gets us these days?

 

Local people stood up to a deeply unpopular plan and won - if Labour are going to respond to that by taking their bat and ball home then they will be judged very poorly at the ballot box (again )

 

I trust that Umeeksk is not being disingenuous?

 

The Labour government has invested in new school buildings at an unprecedented rate - never before seen in this country.

 

The Buildings Schools for the Future programme has allowed Sheffield City Council to bid successfully for money to replace old, dilapidated school buildings - some of which were built in the Victorian era. Such schools are no longer fit for purpose two centuries later. You only have to look around the city to see wonderful new school buldings in Heeley, Norfolk Park, Arbourthorne, and elsewhere. The Building Schools for the Future programme would have seen a brand new school built on the Myers Grove site.

 

The decision by council to retain the existing Myers Grove and Wisewood schools kills dead the bid to build a brand new school in the area. This was clearly understood by all councillors when they voted. It is the Lib-Dems, supported by the Greens and the Independent councillor, who have now put a stop to the funding bid for a new school on the Myers Grove site.

[jez449 10]

Perhaps umeesk would like to comment on fact that a Lib Dem councillor resigned from the governing body of Myers Grove the day before the council meeting

 

Did he?

 

Good of him!

 

Makes up for the fact that the two Labour councillors for Hillsborough both supported closing the wards only secondary school at several council meetings. One of the councillors lives virtually next door to Myers Grove whilst the other just happens to be an ex-chair of Governors at Myers Grove. Quite amazing.

[jez449 10]

I trust that Umeeksk is not being disingenuous?

 

It is the Lib-Dems, supported by the Greens and the Independent councillor, who have now put a stop to the funding bid for a new school on the Myers Grove site.

 

Labour chose to spend money on building a new school on a site that the majority of local people did not approve of.

 

Under Building Schools for the Future money is available to rebuild or refurbish EVERY secondary school in the country. This money has not disappeared overnight - council officials have to stand up to Central Government and deliver what people of the area want.

 

Many years ago Labour used to be the peoples party, not any more.

[Umeeksk 10]

The decision by council to retain the existing Myers Grove and Wisewood schools kills dead the bid to build a brand new school in the area. This was clearly understood by all councillors when they voted. It is the Lib-Dems, supported by the Greens and the Independent councillor, who have now put a stop to the funding bid for a new school on the Myers Grove site.

Er... Red, correct me if I'm wrong - isn't it your party that's holding the purse-strings on this one? After all, you ARE in Government. (Although fat lot of good it's doing us here!)

 

Surely you must agree that the Labour Party has a duty to properly fund education in Sheffield - regardless of whether it's through trust schools or community schools?

 

I hate to be confrontational about this, but OUR party is campaigning to have two high-quality, local community schools - and it's YOUR party that's trying to stop this happening.

 

We think this is the best solution for Sheffield. What's more, local people said clearly at the last election that they agree - and we will carry on campaigning until this happens!

[redrobbo 10]

Er... Red, correct me if I'm wrong - isn't it your party that's holding the purse-strings on this one? After all, you ARE in Government. (Although fat lot of good it's doing us here!)

 

Surely you must agree that the Labour Party has a duty to properly fund education in Sheffield - regardless of whether it's through trust schools or community schools?

 

I hate to be confrontational about this, but OUR party is campaigning to have two high-quality, local community schools - and it's YOUR party that's trying to stop this happening.

 

We think this is the best solution for Sheffield. What's more, local people said clearly at the last election that they agree - and we will carry on campaigning until this happens!

 

If you really do hate beng confrontational, please resist when you feel the urge. You could instead take a cue from the councillors of all parties who debated the school proposals. As I stated in my earlier post......

 

The debate was good natured, and passionately argued by all sides.

 

You have completely ignored the fact that the successful Lib-Dem motion called for a report, in two months time, on how the existing schools can now proceed. The previous council decision, to bid for funds for a brand new school, was overturned by the Lib-Dems. The Lib-Dem councillors recognised that time would be needed to look at how the new policy can be developed, which is why they called for a new report.

 

Serious issues, which affect the lives of children and their families, were debated in council. Each contributor to the debate was listened to with respect, as it was recognised on all sides of the council chamber that -despite differing views on what was felt to be in the best interests of the children, their families, teachers and the local communities - no-one was trying to make political capital out of this issue.

 

My advice to Umeeksk is to kindly stop your self-confessed confrontational politicking, and follow the lead of councillors on this serious issue. It serves the Lib-Dem party, of which you are a member, no good purpose at all by trying to make political capital out of the educational needs of children.

[KJ_VENOM 10]

A couple of questions for you redrobbo

 

Did the people, whom the the council are supposed to represent want wisewood school closed down?

 

Did the people of wisewood want wisewood school to be relocated to the myers site?

 

I would expect seeing as the labour councillor who represented the ward lost to someone who was in favour keeping wisewood school open the answer is no.

 

Listen to the people who voted you in something that the labour party seem to do less and less each day

 

Am i a liberal democrat? no! i have always voted labour, but the labour party is not worthy of my vote anymore

[sanman 10]

I personally found the comment in last nights Star by one labour councillor that all Sheffields Primary Schools would now have to subsidise Wisewood and Myers Grove despicable. It would seem that its sole intent was to cause division amongst parents; this on the same day that the council were discussing the report on "Community Cohesion". Falling pupils numbers are not limited to Stannington & Wisewood! For too long now the North of Sheffield has been the councils whipping boy in terms of investment. How many sixth forms do we have? to my count one at Hillsborough College. Now look at other areas of Sheffield and you will see far more choice which comes with the higher levels of investment.

 

It would seem that the councils strategy of "Closing the Gap" is driving all communities to the same level of mediocrity. Surely we should be aspiring to the levels of the very best but to do this you need to carry on investing in those communities. I see very little investment in my area!

[TeaFan 10]

I trust that Umeeksk is not being disingenuous?

 

In fairness, Red, this government has a track record of only releasing spending when people make the decisions they want. The worst example of this has been on council housing. People have been given the choice between transferring to private management and getting money for repairs and renovation, or staying with the council and not getting money for repairs and renovation. In other words, the money's there, but you can only have it if you do what we want you to do. This has got an awful lot of peoples' backs up.

 

In education, the principal of the Pimlico School in London (which is in a right old state) was told that he could have several millions for renovation - but only if the school sold off the playing fields to a property developer. Absolutely outrageous!

 

If the money is there to be spent on a particular purpose, the democratic principle should hold that the elected representatives act according to the views of their constituents without the risk that the money will be taken away.