SCHOOL AXE FIGHTERS PRESENT THEIR CASE

Jason Evans - 05 July 2005

Almost 30 pages of reasons why parents, staff and governors believe Swansea's Dylan Thomas School should stay open have been handed to the council. It represents the Dylan Thomas campaigners' formal statement of opposition to the plans to axe the Cockett school.

The 26-page document contains all the governors' arguments for why the school should be saved.

And this formal objection means that if the council does decide to press ahead with the plans, the Assembly will have to review the decision.

Campaigners believe the review would give them another chance to get the closure plans thrown out.Handing over the report at County Hall, chairman of governors Dereck Roberts called on the council to reconsider plans to axe the school.

"The closure of Dylan Thomas school is not the answer to the problems facing education in the city," he said.

"A better solution has to be found.

"Everyone at the school is united in opposing the plans and we are determined to fight all the way."

Copies of the report are also being sent to local MPs and AMs as the campaigners widen the fight to save their school.

The plans to axe Dylan Thomas have proved hugely controversial.

As part of a city-wide shake-up of schools, the council wants to scrap the Cockett school and send its 500-plus pupils to Bishop Gore school in Sketty.

The council claims the scheme would tackle the problem of Swansea having too many school places for too few pupils.

It could also sell the land in Cockett and plough the money, which could be as much as £8.7 million, back into education in the city.

However, Mr Roberts said the council's sums did not add-up.

"We have gone through their arguments and they make no sense.

"We think we have a very strong case for saving the school," he said.