QE school safe for next few years, says council (From Ledbury Reporter)

QE school safe for next few years, says council

2:58pm Friday 8th February 2008

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BROMYARD'S Queen Elizabeth Humanities College is safe until 2011, thanks to a vote at Herefordshire Council today (Friday, February 8).

Speaking at a packed meeting, council leader Roger Phillips promised that no closures or major organisations of high schools would be considered during the lifetime of the current administration. The next local elections are scheduled for May 2011.

He also reaffirmed that the council would continue to apply the existing Small Schools Policy for primary schools. He confirmed that no closures would happen outside that policy.

"Any future drafting of any changes affecting Herefordshire schools will involve heads, governors, parents, the local community and local ward councillors", said Cllr Phillips. "These groups will examine and exhaust every opportunity to ensure the continued protection of our schools".

More creative solutions will be encouraged, examining opportunities for sharing resources among schools and with the community and the federation option.

"Any discussions will be held in public and recorded," he said, "with all documentation made available on the council's website. All statistics used will be independently verified."

"The council will continue to lobby the government for fairer funding for our children and young people in Herefordshire".

The motion to take the school review proposals off the table, confirm no closures to high schools during the administration and confirm no closures of primary schools outside the council's existing small schools policy, was backed by 34 councillors, with 17 voting against and with five abstentions.

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