Council leader speaks on school closure programme (From Hereford Times)

Council leader speaks on school closure programme

3:58pm Tuesday 22nd January 2008 in News By Bill Tanner

Herefordshire Council leader Roger Phillips has told this afternoon's meeting of the children's services scruting committee that he and his cabinet member for children's services Jenny Hyde were given "broad headlines" about the draft schools closure programme ahead of briefings to teachers and governors.

Councillor Phillips said he and councillor Hyde did not subsequently see the documents outlining the proposals in full.

"These were professional papers awaiting evidence," said councillor Phillips.

"Policy has always been that officers should draft proposals without political inteference."

Councillor Terry James, leader of the opposition, told the committee that both the council and the public had been hoodwinked over the way news of the now suspended closure programme was broken.

"We were first told that the cabinet member and leader did not know anything about (the scale of the programme)," he said.