Saturday, October 16, 2004
Lib Dem threat to local schools
Cardiff currently has 8,500 surplus school places and these cost around £3m. The new Liberal Democrat Executive is planning a review that will probably result in some schools closing.
All the local authority schools in St. Mellons, Willowbrook, Oakfield and Meadowlane primary schools have surplus places and Llanrumney High - where many St. Mellons children receive their education - has 652 surplus spaces!
To be fair a Labour Administration would have had to look at the issue if we had won the Council elections.
On an economic analysis alone, school closures may prove to be necessary. However our local primary schools perform well despite the Ward’s high deprivation indices and significant numbers of local children with special educational needs.
Therefore we have a strong case against school closures especially where they can demonstrate continuing success in a difficult environment.
In areas like St. Mellons with regard to education, especially of our youngest children - "small is definitely beautiful".
Cllr. Ralph Cook
All the local authority schools in St. Mellons, Willowbrook, Oakfield and Meadowlane primary schools have surplus places and Llanrumney High - where many St. Mellons children receive their education - has 652 surplus spaces!
To be fair a Labour Administration would have had to look at the issue if we had won the Council elections.
On an economic analysis alone, school closures may prove to be necessary. However our local primary schools perform well despite the Ward’s high deprivation indices and significant numbers of local children with special educational needs.
Therefore we have a strong case against school closures especially where they can demonstrate continuing success in a difficult environment.
In areas like St. Mellons with regard to education, especially of our youngest children - "small is definitely beautiful".
Cllr. Ralph Cook
