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