99 per cent 'no' for schools shake-up
FAMILIES fighting plans to close two schools as part of a multi-million pound shake-up of secondary education have held a vote of no confidence in Stoke-on-Trent City Council and its current leadership.
The resolution was unanimously backed, bar one abstention, by residents at last night's public meeting on plans for Berry Hill High School and Mitchell Business and Enterprise College in Bucknall.
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The resolution, introduced by former city council leader Barry Stockley, says: "The Bucknall, Bentilee, Berry Hill and Eaton Park communities have no confidence in Serco and the city council under the leadership of Ross Irving to deliver high quality secondary education."
About 100 people attended the meeting at the Mitchell site. The scheme, drawn up by agency Serco under the Building Schools for the Future programme, will see Mitchell merging with Edensor High School at a new academy in Springfield, Adderley Green, while Berry Hill would feed into a different academy in Fenton.
Council leader Ross Irving, Councillor Ian Mitchell, portfolio holder for children and young people's services, BSF project director Tracy Penrose and Ged Rowney of Serco all failed to attend. Chairs were put on a stage bearing their names, with the word "absent".
Terry Crowe, head governor at Berry Hill High School, said: "We were prepared to merge Berry Hill and Mitchell and have a fantastic school in the heart of the community. Then they come up with this stupid idea. Springfield is not a good site for education in this area."
Margaret Lowe, chairman of the Community School Action Group, said: "We used to have three high schools on our estate. Now we won't even have one."
A number of parents walked from Berry Hill to the proposed site at Springfield. It took them 45 minutes.
Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Mark Fisher said: "Serco has never visited Berry Hill High or Mitchell. These are plans built on complete ignorance of our city and our community."
Mr Fisher said he had been told by Secretary of State for Education, Ed Balls, that a final decision had yet to be made on the academies' locations.
Councillor Brian Ward, deputy leader of the city council, attended and promised to pass the views to Serco.
Speaking later, Mr Irving said any changes to BSF would delay the whole programme and potentially cause the Government to withdraw funding.
He said: "The decision has been taken. The school is not going to be built on the Mitchell site.
"This is a policy we have inherited from the previous administration. It is ridiculous to point the finger at myself when I have only been in office for six months."
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by Craig, Adderley Green
Monday, November 16 2009, 3:10PM
“Check out our website its been updated and see our new leaflets please help us win we all want the same outcome. WWW.keepadderleygreen.co.uk”
by Mike, Abbey Hulton
Saturday, November 14 2009, 10:09PM
“I attended the meeting at Mitchell on Thursday night.It seems Ross Irving and co. are telling us one thing but the actual truth is somewhat different.Misleading the community and worse still the electorate of Stoke on Trent is appalling! In his eyes Serco are infalable.The mistakes and bulldozing attitude of Serco and the likes of Ross Irving and co will cost this city dear .If they do not get their act together there will be further intervention from the government to show them how to govern.My message to Ross Irving and co is listen to your communities or there is a risk you will lose the BSF funding because you are not making common sense decisions so this causes delays.Get your act together for the sake of your misinformed communities and tell the truth.Also could you please attend the next meeting and meet the community?”
by Nicky, pitsnpots.co.uk
Saturday, November 14 2009, 1:07AM
“Some of us care and turn up to this meeting, but some just come out with the standard 'it's all been decided' fiction afterwards.
I agree with everyone who has commented here. How dare Ross Irving blame this on the last lot under Meredith when he was a part of it! And he's STILL using that same old same old if you don't do what you're told we'll lose all the BSF money fiction.
Barry Stockley's resolution is spot on.”
by Sharon, Adderley Green
Friday, November 13 2009, 11:28PM
“Ross Irving - Face your public, do what you are paid to do! Take action NOW by doing the right thing, do what the people who put you in office voted you for keep your Academy off our only bit of PUBLIC OPEN SPACE, keep your Academy off our land, put it on Mossfield, it's no worse than Adderley Green, better if you listen to the facts and it won't upset hardly if any residents. Show up to the next Springfield Action Group Meeting and answer our questions HONESTLY, everyone knows the BSF money is there as & when the decision is made, don't try to pull the wool Ross, we're not stupid. Don't forget there is an election next year, if you want to keep your job listen to the community.”
by Margaret, Bentilee
Friday, November 13 2009, 9:45PM
“Change the record Mr Irving. This one has been running for 6 months now. When are you going to listen to us? Build this academy and you will have to live with that decision and we will have an academy this area doesn't want for the next 50 years. Parents and people in the community will have no say in the running of an academy - they are governed mainly by the sponsor - one who is already debating redundancies. So many mistakes by the City Council already - do you want this to be one more?. You have got the power to change the decision, the fact is you don't want to. It takes a brave man to change his mind - you are obviously not brave enough to admit listening to SERCO was a mistake!”