News story

29th June 2001

MP To Speak Out In Parliament Over Bradley Stoke Schooling

Northavon MP Steve Webb has succeeded in securing a short debate at Westminster next week on the future of secondary education in Bradley Stoke. This was an issue that was raised with him on a number of occasions during the General Election campaign and he has now used this first opportunity after the Election to take up the concerns of local residents in Parliament. The debate will take place next Wednesday (4th July). Steve Webb will have the opportunity to speak for about 15 minutes setting out his concerns over the lack of secondary provision in Bradley Stoke, and then a Government education minister—probably the new Schools Minister, Stephen Timms—will have about 15 minutes to respond.

The key point that Steve Webb will make is the absurdity of Government rules that mean that a huge housing development can be built up without a secondary school being built alongside it. For years, Government rules about “surplus places” at other secondary schools or for other year groups have meant that the Council has not been allowed to build a school for pupils leaving primary school in Bradley Stoke to attend. Now that the problem of surplus places has largely been resolved, the inadequacy of Government financial support for new buildings means that there will be further delay in providing a school.

Steve Webb said:

“I am delighted to have the chance to press the Government over absurd rules which mean that a housing development of over 9000 homes still has no secondary school. A secondary school is essential to building up the community in Bradley Stoke and local people are rightly angry at the continual delays. The rules must be changed so that community facilities can be built alongside new housing developments and not years afterwards”.

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