What a week THAT was (long) Part 3 - Nantyglo Comp

Rocke · What a week THAT was (long) Part 3 - Nantyglo Comp

Well, here's a good one.

This just about sums up why I do not like 'politicians' but I'm very keen on 'politics'.
I think politics provides a fascinating insight into how people behave and why they behave as they do. You don't need to be a psychologist to see it or influence them.

Well, you've probably all heard about the Council's consultations regarding solving some of our surplus school places ( and hence insufficient funding ) problems.
One option available is to close Nantyglo Comp. and use vacancies and additional building to accommodate existing and future pupils at Aber Comp.

There's loads of issues involved - transportation, not interupting GCSE years, handling 'pupils overload' ie. Aber won't be able to cope with all pupils in the first year etc.

OK, closing a school is an emotive subject but it has to happen, because of the numbers. It also has to happen as soon a possible.
I think that's more or less accepted by all Members. The disagreement is which, and how.

Cue a special Education & Leisure Scrutiny Meeting to discuss the matter, as part of the consultation process.

The Executive ( cabinet, the 9 who make decisions ) has decided to go for Option 3 of the 8 that came out of the research and informal consultation processes undertaken over the past 8 or 9 months.
This would mean the closure of Nantyglo Comp. with pupils in the catchment area having Aber Comp as their designated school and the 6th Form going to Brynmawr.
The site itself would become part of Aber Comp ( see below ).
In the interim GCSE-course pupils would remain at Nantyglo, to avoid any undue interuption to their vital studies.
Primary school pupils moving up would go to Nantyglo as a innovative way of helping in pupil transition.
I understand that this is increasingly becoming the way in England.
Primary pupils don't move between lessons and of course have the same teacher throughout the year. It's a big move away when they have to walk about etc., so Year 7 is becoming one of a gradual weaning off 1 classroom/1 teacher to the full multi-lesson/classsroom/teacher scheme of things.

Well, now I understand why the general public must wonder about politicians and politics.

The public gallery's about 2/3 full of people, some holding banners proclaiming 'SOS Save Our School'.

The Labour opposition form a queue to speak, so the first 30 minutes or more is a trail of painting all sorts of calamities that might befall the process. Jeremiah's Lamentations would have been eclipsed by it.

'Where will we get the money from to build at Abertillery Comp ?'
'What if it costs more...there's a credit crunch...'
Well, it's going to cost far less than the proposal the Labour group wants - which is to close TWO schools ( Nantyglo and Brynmawr ) and build a completely new school at Nantyglo.
They also refuse to accept the legal niceties of the situation. Brynmawr is a Foundation School, outside of LEA control and hence protected from us declaring it closed.
Some of you might remember a Labour-controlled council trying to shut it in the early 90's, which is how it came to be independent of us.
I suspect that some Labourites also remember and are gunning for it all over again.

Anyway Cllr. McCarthy makes one of his inimitable contributions spoken in what I can only describe as er... McCarthyish.
Opens with 'In my brief time as Leader.....' then goes on using words such as 'holistic' and in such a manner that I doubt anyone understands what he's really trying to say. I'm pretty sure the public didn't. I can't remember if he got a ripple of applause, as some of his colleagues did.
Anyway, he admits that he set up the original working group that eventually provided 4 options.
ie. he admitted that there was a problem and they knew about it.
But what did he then add ? - they ( Labour ) wanted a 'holistic approach.
' So, the Labour Group set up a working party to investigate how to approach the problem of falling pupil numbers er... Knowing how they were going to do it anyway.

Cue more debate, a stand-up row between a Labour Member and the Chair(man), 'political banter' between Executive Member and senior Labour Member, shouts of 'withdraw the remark' from Cllr. McCarthy ( who was actually quite quiet, perhaps overawed by Cllr. Scully sitting next to him ) and finally an amended recommendation.

The recommendation of the report being debated was that Option 3 be the preferred option.
The Labour group put up an amended proposal to pursue Option 1 ( Close Nant and Bryn, build a new school ) even though Cllr. Scully stated that they 'would probably lose, looking at the numbers'.

7 Partnership Members entitled to vote,5 Labour ones.

Result of vote - 7 for the amendment, 5 against.
Bizarrely, 4 Partnership Councillors voted for Option 1 and 2 Labour councillors voted for Option 3.
I don't think you'll ever see that happen again.

Cue clapping from the public, who didn't seem to realise that this was simply part of the consultation process, not a reprieve for the school.
Now they'll be doubly unhappy if the school is shut, probably citing us being 'undemocratic' or the like.

I'm unhappy that an opportunity to get the real issues and points over to them in the debate was lost.
Since I'm Vice-Chair I wasn't able to take part in the debate and there wasn't anyone on the floor who was intimately aware of the issues and the facts.

Our officers certainly earned their salaries that meeting.

However, the day wasn't over for them, or me.
6pm and it's to the Comp for the formal consultation with Abertillery parents, regarding the plans.
An orderly meeting, chaired by our admirable Head of Community Services, Phil Hodgson MBE and with our equally admirable officers Robert Barbour ( Head of Ed ) and Michelle Parfitt to answer the Education-dpecific questions. Mrs Thomas was on hand to answer Aber Comp-specific questions.
Cllr. John Taylor and I were there, as governors.

As I said, started at 6.
Just before that in walk Cllrs. Scully and Wilkshire, Ebbw Vale and Labour Members who are on the School Development Group.

10 miniutes or more after it started in traipse Cllr. Hedley McCarthy and some of his flock, including Royston Welch.

Some good and searching questions from parents - unhappy about bussing 11 year olds up to Nantyglo, building work going on etc. etc.
Then up gets Mr Welch and asks 'why haven't Abertillery people been consulted on this ?'
I managed to stiffle my laugh, Cllr. Taylor to his credit merely widened his lips a little, not anywhere near a grin, let alone a smile.
Mr. Barbour handled the situation impeccably, merely pointing out that the Council had consulted individually with parents, Governors, staff and even the School Council and pupils in recent months. Isn't 4 meetings with all interested parties enough for you Mr. Welch ?!
Typical of the attitude of some of the Abertillery Labour Party great and good. They seem to think that they can paint all manner of ills and the public fall for it.

One the public didn't - and this is a purler !
Cllr. McCarthy ( that's the Cllr. Hedley McCarthy that doesn't have any vested interest in the school as far as I know - no child there, not a parent, not a governor, doesn't work there. Presumably he went in order to see what his constituents might be saying ) stands up and rather than ask a question tries to give a statement.
Unbelievably he starts with 'In my short time as Leader'.
Oh sorry - he did apologise for his lateness, a courtesy not shown by Mr. W, then he said 'In my short time as leader'.

He then tried to bring up the afternoon's meeting and outcome.
He then stated that the Labour Group preference was to close Brynmawr, inter alia.
At this a member of the public cut in and said 'did you say that you wanted to close Brynmawr ? You want to close the most progressive and successful school in the Borough ? My daughter attends there.'

Cue applause, one Cllr McCarthy looking a little downtrodden and no doubt Cllrs Scully and Wilkshire reflecting on yet another PR backfire.

When the meeting closed I left before seeing if Cllr. McCarthy was limping due to the self-inflicted injury to his foot.

As Cllr Garth Collier stated,it was a meeting for parents, not politicians and it's wrong to play politics with children's education.

Pity we didn't get that message across last Weds afternoon.

As I said at the beginning, I think politics provides a fascinating insight into how people behave and why they behave as they do. You don't need to be a psychologist to see it or influence them.

I'm starting to think one needs a psychiatrist though.

Hopefully my RSI and writer's cramp will have abated by next week.......

Cheers.

Dai 6 · Re: What a week THAT was (long) Part 3 - Nantyglo Comp

Carolyn · SW Argus Leading councillors quit Blaenau Gwent Labour

Saeson

"It was previously recommended Nantyglo Comprehensive School would close but the latest recommendation also includes the closure of Brynmawr Foundation School, which both councillors strongly oppose"

Confused

Dai 6

What a week THAT was (long) Part 3 - Nantyglo Comp

Re: What a week THAT was (long) Part 3 - Nantyglo Comp

SW Argus Leading councillors quit Blaenau Gwent Labour