Conservative Cabinet ignore local views (Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats)

Oxfordshire Liberal Democrats <info@oxfordshirelibdems.org.uk>

Conservative Cabinet ignore local views

June 20, 2007 5:12 PM

At today's Cabinet meeting, the Conservative Cabinet agreed to a small school in Grove in the discussion about the future of secondary schooling in Wantage and Grove. It was, however, very obvious that the decision had been made in advance, without waiting to hear from local members who had done their own extensive consultations with their constituents.

The views of local people taken in various consultations and opinion polls were also ignored. The most popular option was for two separate equal sized schools.

Cllr Jim Moley said, "Two comprehensive schools of equal size was the strong choice of parents and the community expressed through MORI type polls in 2003 and 2007, which local Liberal Democrats successfully campaigned for. Choice is what parents want."

Cllr Zoé Patrick said, "My concern is that by going for the small school option means that the Cabinet will do nothing to progress this speedily and in time for community facilities to be planned into the Grove expansion."