news story

6th July 2009

MP Condemns 'Insult to Parents' over 'Summer Holiday consultation' over School Closure

Northavon MP Steve Webb has reacted angrily to today's announcement by South Gloucestershire Council over plans to consult on closure of Rodford Primary School in Yate. The Council has announced that a statutory six week consultation period will start today (6th July) and will run to 17th August.

This means that around half of the consultation period will be during the school summer holidays. The move has been condemned by local MP Steve Webb who has been fighting to save the school. The MP said:

"It is a disgrace that the Council is running a so-called consultation about closing a school over the summer holiday period. This is a huge decision which will have a big impact on hundreds of children and families and yet their chance to have their say is being undermined by the Council.

"The reason for a six week consultation is to give people full opportunity to have their say, but if half of the period is during the summer holidays many families will be away. This is bound to reduce the amount of feedback that the Council gets.

"The families at Rodford were already convinced that the Council had made up its mind to close the school a long time ago, and this insulting arrangement for consultation on the closure will reinforce that view".

The MP said he would be calling on the Council to rethink this decision or face challenge on the legality of the process of consultation.