Schools scheme finally wins through

PLANS to replace seven high schools with five new academies have been finally approved after the city's top politician said it would be "utter disaster" to rethink part of the scheme.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cabinet yesterday voted to push ahead with closing the comprehensives to make way for the independent state schools.

One special school, Heathfield, in Chell Heath, is also due to shut as part of a reorganisation of special education.

The decision followed publication of closure notices two months ago, which triggered a final round of consultation.

At yesterday's meeting, there was a highly-charged debate over whether to reconsider the plans for Mitchell Business and Enterprise College, in Bucknall, Berry Hill High and Ede-nsor Technology College, Longton.

Campaigners had wanted Mitchell and Berry Hill to be merged and a new school created on the Mitchell site.

But the council wants to build an academy in either Park Hall or Springfield, Adderley Green, to replace Mitchell and Edensor. Berry Hill would feed into a different academy in Fenton.

Council leader Ross Irving said the city's entire £250 million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme could be in jeopardy if there were further delays, especially with Government cutbacks on the horizon due to the recession.

He said: "It would be utter disaster to take this back for further consideration.

"We would be sending out the wrong message to central Government and the wrong message to the citizens of Stoke-on-Trent, the vast majority of whom want to see new schools built for their children."

James Brindley Science College, in Chell, has fallen into disrepair in recent years.

Yesterday's decision means families in Chell finally get a new school; six years after a bid for BSF cash was first submitted.

The academy replacing James Brindley will open in the existing building in September 2011, with the new building ready for 2013.

But others have vowed to carry on fighting. A handful of campaigners attended the meeting including Marie Hennessy and Kevin Allman, from Bentilee.

They are preparing legal action to save Heathfield, where they send 10-year-old daughter Kelly.

Residents in Bentilee and Bucknall are also continuing their battle over Mitchell and Berry Hill.

Margaret Lowe, pictured, chairman of the Community School Action Group, said: "We're not giving up.

"We have ideas for what to do next and will be discussing them at our next meeting."

Cabinet members said yesterday there was only limited community support for a new school on the Mitchell site. They cited a recent protest march, where barely more than 40 people turned up.

But organisers say that turnout was not a true reflection of views, as more than 500 people have signed a petition which was omitted from the council's list of responses.

Andy Maskery, from Adderley Green, said many residents were opposed to an academy at Springfield.

The 42-year-old said: "Some kids will also have to travel three miles to school."

The council has yet to decide whether to build the academy at Springfield or Park Hall.