SCHOOL: COUNCIL SAYS IT LISTENS

4 October 2005

Council leaders have hit back at claims they are not listening to parents over proposed school closures in Swansea.

Parents from Dylan Thomas Community School reacted angrily to the council's announcement that a new round of consultations would not take into account views on closure. They say that the first consultation, which was held in June and July, was for a completely different proposal.

Since then the council has changed the scheme from a £7 million refurbishment of Bishop Gore comprehensive to a £20 million spend at the school. Education advisory committee chairman Nick Tregoning said that parents, staff and governors had already been heavily consulted on their fears over the possible closure of Dylan Thomas school.

He said: "It is remarkable that anyone can claim the council is not consulting and not listening.

"The fact is that the council is listening to pupils, parents, teachers unions, governors, councillors, AMs and many others with an interest in the future of education in Swansea.

"The council has received submissions from Dylan Thomas school and staged meetings there to listen to views of all those with an interest in it.

"However, Rob Lowe, a parent governor at Dylan Thomas school, said that parents were not happy.

"We have been consulted on the first set of plans. That was for £7 million to be spent on Bishop Gore and the closure of Dylan Thomas. "They changed that and are now planning to spend £20 million on it. We have not had a chance to consult on those proposals.

"It's a bit of a mixed bag really because we have had the chance to talk about the closure but not on what it's going to cost under the new proposal. We think that is crucial.

"How have they come up with the figure of £20 million? We have not seen any plans for the refurbishment."

The council's current proposal would see a five-year improvement plan for Bishop Gore school.

When that is complete, pupils from Dylan Thomas school would be transferred and the school closed.

The consultation will run from October 14 and will look at the transition period between work starting and the proposed closure of the school.