VOTE MOVES PLAN ONTO NEXT STAGE

10 June 2005

The planned closure of Swansea's Dylan Thomas Comprehensive School has moved onto the next stage. Councillors yesterday voted to press ahead with public consultation on the idea, due to come into effect in 2007 as part of a big shake-up of the county's schools.

Opposition Labour members are trying to force a rethink. They say the proposal goes against good practice and are attempting to get the issue referred to a special meeting.

Council presiding officer Sue Waller might have to rule on whether to refer it to the council's cross-party special challenge panel.

If it is asked to intervene, the panel can refer the issue back to the cabinet with possible different recommendations or pass it on to the full council for decision.

The intervention is a boost to the campaign against the plan, although it is not yet clear if it will succeed.

Yesterday's council meeting saw a large turnout in the public gallery of parents against it.

The council says it needs to act to cope with falling school rolls and ensure children get the best possible education. The plan is for Dylan Thomas's 500-plus pupils to switch to Bishop Gore in Sketty in September 2007.

Council leader Chris Holley yesterday extended the usual public question time from 10 to 20 minutes to take account of the huge interest. But the protesters said they were unimpressed with answers given, even though it was stressed by cabinet education member Mike Day that what had been decided was merely to consult on the proposals and not any closures itself.

Dylan Thomas School parent-governor and campaign spokesman Robin Lowe said: "We will put together the strongest possible case for our school. We have a lot of support from councillors, from Assembly members in Swansea, MPs and I believe former Swansea East MP Lord Anderson is supporting us. There will be objections. It has to go the Assembly."

Swansea West AM Andrew Davies, who was in the public gallery, said: "I feel so strongly about this. I think the way the council handled this is pretty appalling."

He pointed to what he said was the anomaly between some bulging schools in the west of the city and schools with surplus places in the east.

Mr Davies added: "You have to deal with this across the whole of the local authority area. "What the council has done again is to deal with it on a piecemeal basis. The overwhelming feeling in Cockett and Townhill is that people have not had their views taken into account.

"There were no options put to parents."

Labour opposition leader, Councillor David Phillips, said: "This is all about turning education into a commodity which can be bought and sold. I am sorry, the children of Swansea deserve better than that."

Parent Lionel Davies said: "Why this school? Falling rolls are happening everywhere. It is because the council sees us as an easy touch."

Meanwhile, parents of pupils at two Swansea Valley schools have been told they are to merge.

Education chiefs from Neath Port Talbot held two meetings last night to tell parents Godre'rgraig and Llangiwg primary schools are to combine because pupil numbers were falling.

The schools will share a head teacher, with Godre'rgraig becoming the school's junior department and Llangiwg, which is approximately two miles away, the infant department.