Melanie Resigns - letter to County Press19/9/08

Dear Sir,

As Leader of the Non Aligned group of Independant Councillors within County Hall, I write to acknowledge with very great regret the decision of Cllr.Melanie Swan to retire from County Politics and wish on behalf of all who those have had the pleasure of her company and benefited from her wisdom over the past years the best of luck and breaks in her new chosen course which as always centres on children and the underpriviledged.

Island children and those in need will never know how hard this gallant lady worked on their behalf or Mountjoy Ward be made aware of her tireless efforts on her electorates behalf. True Independants within County Hall will now be looking for a Candidate to emerge who will shoulder her past responsibilities with the pleasant grace, determination and honesty that many of us found so refreshing, in the interests of true democracy your pages may well unearth that person.

Cllr.Brian Mosdell

Member for Newchurch
Andrew Turner Supporter

Meaningless Assurances 22/5/08

EDUCATION ASSURANCES MEANINGLESS CLAIMS COUNCILLOR


Councillors were invited to attend a private briefing on the latest stage of education proposals on Thursday 22nd May at County Hall. “One of the key assurances to the public has been that money from the sale of school property would be ‘ring fenced’ for re-investment in education” declared Councillor Melanie Swan who attended the briefing on behalf of the Non– Aligned Group.

She went on to say,“This at the time appeared to be a dangerous promise because informed Members could not see how the current Administration could guarantee it in the face of an unknown future.” Later in the meeting she specifically asked the Director “ Whether it was possible to ring fence these monies throughout the period of change given that there will be a new administration in a year’s time ?” he conceded that it wasn’t.

After the meeting she said, “The subject of re-investment is bound to come up in future consultations so I asked whether people would be told that this so-called ‘commitment’ would only last for the one remaining year that this administration has left in Office. The reply was that giving people this information would be a ‘political’ decision. In other words, Officers can tell people that the money is ring-fenced and politicians will decide whether to tell them that this is only guaranteed for a year! Can we trust them to do this? Indeed, how much trust do Islanders have left for a Leadership with such a trail of broken promises.”

Those Members wishing to obtain an immediate political response to Cllr.Swan's question regarding Ring Fencing were thwarted as Cllr.Wells the responsible Cabinet Member failed to attend. This was because, as he said later "we were talking about individual schools and I don't wish to compromise the process because of personal interests."

Battle lost but fight goes on 17 Independant minded Councillors fought hard but to no avail at the Council meeting on the 19th.March in order to hold the current Administration to its election promises regarding Education re-organisation. However in response to genuine and concerted protests by Councillors and Residents organisations a 5th option was reluctantly produced just hours before the meeting and voted through 17 to 28 without any debate by its supporters. Right or wrong, the matter is settled, the Island is going for a two tier system the implementation of which will change the character of our villages, involve the creation of larger Primary schools and greater travel distances without any guarantees of any improvement in education standards. The Non Aligned and Independant Conservatives within the present Council give a promise that despite reservations they will monitor the proposed changes constantly to ensure that our children suffer the least disruption and the education system throughout this period will offer every opportunity for them to achieve.A measure of our concerns can be seen in the latest press release and a copy of Cllr.Swan's speech to full Council

Press Release - OPPOSITION COUNCILLORS COMMITTED TO WORKING TO SECURE CHILDREN’S FUTURE EDUCATION ON THE ISLE OF WIGHT

Following the defeat of the Motion calling for a Referendum on the future direction of Island education at last night’s Full Council meeting, Opposition Councillors reaffirmed their commitment to keeping standards in education and the well-being of children as the central focus of their work. Speaking at the Council debate last night, Cllr Melanie Swan, who proposed the Motion calling for a Referendum, said: “Those of us fortunate enough to have children ourselves will know the critical importance of providing security for them: not simply material security but the emotional security which comes from adults working together for the child’s benefit.” Commenting on the way in which the education consultation was conducted, she said; “Since the proposals were announced in January, we have seen vital relationships being undermined - even breaking down. We cannot provide well for children on the Island when parents and teachers are demoralised”. Speaking after the meeting Cllr Swan said “We were shocked that the new ‘Option’, adopted by the Conservative Group majority vote last night which was sprung on us at the last minute. We had no time to properly consider the proposals or consult with our communities. However, we are now looking forward and will work to secure a positive future for our children.”
Motion to Full Council March 19th. Motion to be proposed by Cllr Melanie Swan under Procedure Rule 11 and seconded by Cllr Geoff Lumley, is: Council on March 19th resolves to add the following 4th Option to the three currently available to Members within the Education Reorganisation decision-making process tonight:- A Referendum of the Isle of Wight electorate to be called immediately to decide between continuing to raise standards within the current 3-tier system, retaining small schools and avoiding a major reorganisation or;- A reorganisation to a 2-tier system, which emphasises the importance of small schools and community-based learning.

Speech to full Council - Cllr.Melanie Swan 19th. March 2008
Chairman, colleagues, Members of the Public: This is a monentus time, we are all here because of the deep commitment we feel towards the children of the Isle of Wight and our heart-felt desire to do what is right for them and for their future. Clearly we have arrived at different conclusions about the best way in which to effect that desire and resolving those differences is the work before us now.As the proposer of this Motion I feel a particular responsibility in the light of all the representations made to us and knowing the depth of emotion they represent.
We are charged tonight with making a decision which will affect the lives of children. Nothing cuts us more deeply than perceiving that the quality of our children’s lives and their opportunities may be damaged. This debate is now surrounded by such intensity of feeling that, with the best will in the world, judgements may become clouded by unhelpful emotions.We have arrived at a point at which it is critical that we stand back and in a spirit of calm and reason, review the situation in which we find ourselves. Councillors have all had hundreds of emails. Many of these have come from groups and organisations representing together yet more hundreds people. I am not going to rehearse the many arguments and proposals which we’ve received as we have all had the opportunity to read and consider them before tonight. I have to say that less than one per cent of the emails I’ve received were in favour of the Options which went out to consultation. What struck me so forcefully is the outpouring of what I can only describe as negative emotions: distress: pain, anxiety, fear; of disillusionment and a sense of betrayal.Three fundamental issues exist -It seems to me that there are three critical issues facing us tonight.
First and foremost is the issue of our children’s future and shaping education to meet their needs, Education is fundamentally about relationships, not buildings, rules or structures.We need to look at what we are doing from the point of view of the child. Those of us fortunate enough to have children ourselves will know the critical importance of providing security for them: not simply material security but the emotional security which comes from adults working together for the child’s benefit.This is a House divided against itself- Since the proposals were announced in January, we have seen vital relationships being undermined - even breaking down. We cannot provide well for children on the Island when parents and teachers are demoralised. Nor can we do this when communities and schools are set against one another which is what has happened by their being forced to fight individually for their survival.
It is evident from looking at the experience of other Authorities that the management of change is a crucial factor in its success or failure. Islanders have demonstrated in a variety of ways, their disillusionment with the way the processes have been managed to date and their lack of confidence that we have the capability to manage profound changes well in the future. If it goes wrong, we must be mindful that there is a possibility that radical proposals may result, not in the improvement of children’s quality of life and educational standards but in their deterioration. We will have a new Council in a year’s time and we do not know what complexion it will have or who will people it. It has been observed that political dogma is the ruination of education and we are setting up the potential for future political interference because we do not have an appropriate measure of the will of the people of the Isle of Wight who we were elected to represent

People are disillusioned, this brings me to the second strand in this debate. We know that the health and success of a democracy depends upon the trust between the voters and those they elect to represent them.Trust is that most precious and delicate of qualities which once broken is so hard to repair. It is very clear that trust has broken down between the electorate of the Isle of Wight and the Council. We have an absolute duty to work to retrieve this situation.
Public criticism of the questionnaire and the small percentage of the population the results represent cannot allow them to justify inflicting profound change on the rest of the population. As our MP surely the most representative, respected and loved figure on the island has reflected: It is not just what you promise the people, it is also what people believe you have promised them.People of the Isle of Wight believed that we would offer a Referendum if we were considering the possibility of radical change. A Referendum to determine the future direction of education will give an outcome which will secure our children’s futures from future uncertainty and political change. It offers us a way to heal the dreadful divisions which are tearing the island apart. There have been local Referenda in other parts of the country, usually related to budget processes and therefore requiring consultation periods which would not be required in this debate.I am fully confident that the people of the Isle of Wight are well aware of the issues and that we could achieve a result in weeks rather than months.
I urge my colleagues to support this Motion. Show the people of the Isle of Wight that we trust them to make the right decision for their families. We can show that precious quality of humility which marks true leadership and give the island a way to find healing and resolution from its anguish.Our concern now is to do everything we can to make sure that the process of change is worked through with the least possible damage to children’s education, the working experience of schools staff and the cohesion of our local communities. We will continue to work with cross Party colleagues and community groups, as we have done throughout this debate, to do our very best for our Island children”.

Press Release

COUNCILLORS CONFIRM MOTION FOR EDUCATION REFERENDUM

Opposition Councillors today confirmed that they want the people of the Isle of Wight to be given the chance to vote on the future of Island schools. A Motion to Full Council on 19^th March will be proposed by former Cabinet Member for Children, Councillor Melanie Swan, who said “the Island is being torn apart by the current education proposals and people feel betrayed by a Council which is clearly acting against local wishes.” The Motion will allow Councillors to vote for an additional ‘4^th Option’, reflecting the Conservative Group’s pre-election offer of a Referendum to decide the future direction of Island education.

“We’ve got to give Island people a chance to decide, once and for all, whether they want the Council to work on improving children’s education within the school structure we’ve got now, or whether they want to reorganise and go to a two-tier system” said Cllr Swan.

Her call for a Referendum follows widespread public opposition to the controversial 3 education options proposed by the Council’s ruling Tory Group, all of which involve the mass closure of Island schools. The Referendum emphasises the importance of small schools to avoid the mass closures, regardless of the outcome.

“There is a fundamental issue of democracy involved in this. People feel betrayed by politicians who treat Manifesto commitments as just words to be sifted through to justify doing the opposite of what was pledged. We have a duty to act to restore trust between the people and those elected to represent them” said Councillor Swan speaking in support of the Referendum option. “We’ll be calling on all Councillors to support the Motion and show that they trust the people of the Isle of Wight to know what is best for them and their families. We have to end the current agony and protect education from future political whim. A Referendum will finally settle the education question so that we can get on and work together to give our children the future they deserve.”

The Motion will be seconded by Labour Councillor Geoff Lumley.

The Motion, to be proposed by Cllr Melanie Swan under Procedure Rule 11 and seconded by Cllr Geoff Lumley, is:

Council on March 19th resolves to add the following 4th Option to the three currently available to Members within the Education Reorganisation decision-making process tonight:

A Referendum of the Isle of Wight electorate to be called immediately, to decide between;

*** Continuing to raise standards within the current 3-tier system, retaining small schools and avoiding a major reorganisation;
or
*** A reorganisation to a 2-tier system, which emphasises the importance of small schools and community-based learning.

Prior to the Full Council meeting, the Save Our Schools (SOS) Campaign are organising a “Wall of Protest” Rally on Saturday March 15^th, as described on their website:

“Meeting at Church Litten Park, Newport, at 10.30 am, we will depart at 11am sharp, walking through the town and along the High Street towards County Hall. Once there we will present the Wall of Protest - showing the depth of emotion felt by each and every school present, towards the council’s irrational decision to slaughter so many of our superb island schools under the disguise of ‘educational improvement’!”

Reference: http://www.saveiowschools.co.uk/archives/159

10January 2008 Press Release Cllr.Melanie Swan

Following my decision to join the Non-Aligned Group (NAG) in the Council, I remain a Conservative Councillor and have only relinquished the current Conservative Leadership Whip. I did so as a result of my growing concern about a number of issues which I found myself unable to support, given my undertakings at the last election. As an Elected Member my 'contract' is pre-eminently with the residents of my Ward, not with a political faction. With regard to whether I should continue as the Councillor of Mount Joy Ward, I undertook to represent my resident's views, as a Conservative Councillor, during the period of this Council's life. I will continue to do this to the best of my ability. I joined the Non-Aligned Group as it is appropriate for me to work with other Conservative Councillors and so that, in terms of proportionality, we will be able to contribute to the work of the Council through being eligible to work in Committee roles. I have been asked what I've contributed to my Ward, and to the Council as a whole, since I was elected. I've worked to have my resident's concerns addressed and I'm particularly pleased that long-term road safety issues in Whitepit Lane have been addressed. I have also been working on a Community Project, which I initiated in 2005, for Nine Acres Field to be used as a community resource. This project is now at a very exciting stage and I'm really looking forward to its making progress this year. In terms of my contribution to the Council as a whole, I've been dutiful in fulfilling my Civic role and have given my posts as a Commissioner, and subsequently Cabinet Member for Children's Services, full attention while I held those posts. There is now a greater focus on addressing difficulties faced by vulnerable children and their families. In particular, due attention is at last being given to the plight of children who are out of school and who do not receive their educational entitlement. I have worked to ensure that issues surrounding Children in Local Authority Care have a high priority and to keep Member's aware of their role as Corporate Parents. As I'm now a member of the Non-Aligned Group, any comments I make in respect of the Council and policy issues will, in future, be made with and on behalf of the Group. I hope this is helpful