14/03/05 - Our Pupils Will Be Ones To Pay

Evening Advertiser 14/03/05

I CHALLENGE Michael Wills' (North Swindon, Labour MP) assertion that funding Swindon Council is his top priority. As a councillor I am flabbergasted by such twaddle.

If this is the case why are we forced to consult on merging and closing primary schools in West Swindon?

There is not a shred of educational justification for this. I would say Michael Wills' priority is keeping Swindon Council's education spending within arbitrary limits prescribed by his government.

A government that hasn't got the guts to admit it hates public services and seeks at every opportunity to privatise them.

As a West Swindon councillor I have several schools with falling numbers that are threatened by the logic which uses the yardstick of money spent per pupil, ie less pupils, less money from his government.

The costs to the West Swindon community of school mergers take no account of the benefits provided by smaller classes and keeping open smaller schools.

Michael and his government have put paid to that by short-changing the council.

He needs to realise his government's financial mismanagement is paid for by the town's schoolchildren.

If Michael Wills wants numbers from this council, I suggest the parents of schools in West Swindon write to him explaining the costs they will pay.

Uniting behind this may get him to ask his government for fair funding for Swindon.

I want fair funding for Swindon.

Councillor S Wakefield

Toothill and Westlea