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Council suspends school closure programme

2:40pm Monday 21st January 2008

comment Comments (80)   Have your say »

By Bill Tanner »

HEREFORDSHIRE Council has just suspended its plan to close or merge 37 schools.

The climbdown comes in the face of massive protest from communities across the county.

New proposals being drawn up allow for more community consultation over the future for schools and detailed research of updated statistics.

Councillors and LEA officers talked through the extent of opposition to the plan, as proposed, this weekend.

Officially, the council's controlling Tory group recognised the "tough challenge" faced by the LEA as it planned for falling pupil numbers and the subsequent slashing of central government funding.

But the group made it clear that it could not support the plan - announced by the LEA earlier this month - in the face of overwhelming public protest and without backing from the authority's other political groups.

"Instead elected members want more time to involve all schools and their communities in detailed discusions. We also need outside, independent, and objective advice and verified evidence of the finances and the population projections - as well as a greater understanding of the effect of any mergers on rural communities and school journey times," said Council leader Councillor Roger Phillips.

Confirming the climbdown, Council chief executive Chris Bull told the Hereford Times: "It is important that we respond clearly to concerns raised by a number of schools and their communities. We have listened and we have taken action. We have suspended the consultation process for now."

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Your Say Your Herefordshire

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

uncledave, Worcester says...
4:18pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Well done Herefordshire Council. That took a bit of courage. There are plenty of local authorities that would have brazened this out in some misguided show of brute force. This time, however, the people have prevailed and rightly so.

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

gibsonmb, Bromsash says...
4:26pm Mon 21 Jan 08

This short term suspension is just the start of a long road over which we will travel, fight and win. Mike Gibson Weston Against School Proposals (WASP)

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

alans, Bromyard says...
6:08pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Having withdrawn these proposals, surely this adds to the questions of leadership and accountability at the top of Herefordshire Council?

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

Michael Dowding, Brimfield says...
6:15pm Mon 21 Jan 08

alans, Bromyard 6:08pm
Yup, as uncledave says in his post earlier, "Well done". The Leadership has listened to their people and acted accordingly. Democracy, leadership and accountability all together in an excellent package. Alans obviously sees political point scoring as more important than future educational needs. Shame on you!

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

SM, Hereford says...
6:27pm Mon 21 Jan 08

I'm not sure there was much democracy involved. I think it might have been the impending threat of county-wide civil disobedience and street marches which made them have second thoughts. A result for people power all the same. I hope the national press pick this important story up and give a message back to Whitehall.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

Sue Jones, Hereford says...
8:30pm Mon 21 Jan 08

It was obvious from the start that officers had embarked on proposals that had not secured the support of the political administration. The leader had to rein them in and has promised external verification of figures backing up future proposals. It doesn't remove the threat of course, because government can slash funding if it feels the council is not going to address the falling rolls problem. But Herefordshire has shown good leadership, much more than the empty gestures seen by politicans in Bromyard.

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

PGhops, Dormington says...
8:35pm Mon 21 Jan 08

Now that the Council has successfully evaporated all vestiges of trust and good will, does it seriously imagine that it will be able to conduct an informed debate and negotiate anymore than the cost of a sandwich with the Schools and people of Herefordshire? And are they still drawing fabulous salaries ordinary mortals can only dream about. What planet exactly are these officers from?

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

Billy Moss, Leominster says...
8:24am Tue 22 Jan 08

Saving schools with a reasonable amount of children,large catchment area where pupils and those who pay for these services get value for money , ok , but they must not become a financial drain on public spending.Then there is the case where children who go to a school with few pupils for the first six years of shool life get a very sheltered education, i have seen my nephew at the age of ten , six in his class,what a lot he had to learn whe he went to high school.Being introduced to thirty kids in a class took a while to get used to.

Report this post »

sweetpea, Ross-on-Wye says...
3:44am Thu 24 Jan 08

Please don't forget what the LEA in the 80's did to a lot of villages when they closed my local school and then the school was merged with bartestree it has never felt the same since. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!pupils where disoriantated and one school is not the same as another.

Report this post »

sweetpea, Ross-on-Wye says...
3:44am Thu 24 Jan 08

Please don't forget what the LEA in the 80's did to a lot of villages when they closed my local school and then the school was merged with bartestree it has never felt the same since. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!pupils where disoriantated and one school is not the same as another.

Report this post »

sweetpea, Ross-on-Wye says...
3:44am Thu 24 Jan 08

Please don't forget what the LEA in the 80's did to a lot of villages when they closed my local school and then the school was merged with bartestree it has never felt the same since. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!pupils where disoriantated and one school is not the same as another.

Report this post »

sweetpea, Ross-on-Wye says...
3:44am Thu 24 Jan 08

Please don't forget what the LEA in the 80's did to a lot of villages when they closed my local school and then the school was merged with bartestree it has never felt the same since. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!pupils where disoriantated and one school is not the same as another.

Report this post »

sweetpea, Ross-on-Wye says...
3:44am Thu 24 Jan 08

Please don't forget what the LEA in the 80's did to a lot of villages when they closed my local school and then the school was merged with bartestree it has never felt the same since. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!pupils where disoriantated and one school is not the same as another.

Report this post »

sweetpea, Ross-on-Wye says...
3:44am Thu 24 Jan 08

Please don't forget what the LEA in the 80's did to a lot of villages when they closed my local school and then the school was merged with bartestree it has never felt the same since. DON'T LET IT HAPPEN AGAIN!!!!!!pupils where disoriantated and one school is not the same as another.