Call to suspend Marbella row headteacher

SCHOOL governors are calling for a headteacher who planned to jet 80 teaching staff to a conference in Marbella to be suspended while an investigation takes place.

A group of seven governors at Edensor Technology College in Longton say they were not told about the trip until months after it had been booked.

Now one governor has resigned and others say they are set to follow if headteacher Richard Mercer and chairman of governors Keith Pritchard "continue to refuse to answer their questions" about how the trip was given the go-ahead.

The travel plans were cancelled at the last minute after a national outcry and the training session was held instead in the school hall earlier this month, when the school was shut for two training days. Mr Mercer, pictured, only managed to recoup about £2,800 of the £30,000 cost.

Governors went to education chiefs at Stoke-on-Trent City Council to demand their questions were answered at an extraordinary meeting, which was due to take place last night.

They planned to call for Mr Mercer to be suspended pending an inquiry into how the trip was rubber-stamped, and for a vote of no confidence in the chairman.

But when they arrived, governors say Mr Pritchard refused to answer questions on the subject and Mr Mercer did not attend.

LEA governor, Don Evans, resigned after his questions over the trip went unanswered.

He said: "We have been lambasted in the press and in the community – I have been in restaurants and people have come up to me to ask if the school was paying for the meal.

"But we want to clear our names and make it clear we did not approve this trip and did not know about it before it was booked.

"We came here to see justice done and were denied the chance to speak.

"We were told not to speak to the press, but I will speak out. I feel that what's happening here is a disgrace."

Other governors say if no satisfactory explanation is given at the ordinary governors meeting next week they will follow Mr Evans out the door.

Parent governor Keith Ailwood said: "If we don't get any answers at the next meeting at least half of us will walk out. The whole thing was ridiculous."

Mr Pritchard declined to comment after the meeting. Stoke-on-Trent City Council said it was a matter for the school. Mr Mercer was unavailable for comment.