A leading Isle of Wight councillor has said he is “devastated” by last Thursday’s vote to close Cowes Primary School.
Councillor Paul Fuller, cabinet member for planning, coastal protection and flooding, described the decision as “heartbreaking news for the Cowes community”.
Councillor Fuller, representative for Cowes West, made a speech to the cabinet at a meeting last Thursday, voicing concerns over the proposed closure.
He did not vote, following professional advice to avoid allegations of undue influence.
County Hall’s executive ultimately approved the closures of Cowes Primary School and Arreton St George’s CE Primary School, but not those of primaries in Ryde, Wroxall and Brading.
Fuller: My relationship with Cowes Primary School was too close for me not to be pre-determined
He told the meeting,
“Over several months I have been contacted by a large number of families to provide support over proposals to close the primary school following the Island-wide decline in children.
“For this reason, I considered that my relationship with Cowes Primary School was too close for me not to be pre-determined and this is why I am responding as a local ward member rather than a member of the cabinet.
“It is so frustrating to see this excellent school again being earmarked for closure when other schools and local academies performing less well are untouched.”
Good Ofsted rating
Councillor Fuller pointed to the primary’s ‘good’ Ofsted rating and added it had “excellent” provision for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Former education cabinet member Councillor Jonathan Bacon, who led the closure plans, previously said academies could not be included in the proposals due to their independence from local authorities.
Resignation of cabinet member
Councillor Bacon resigned half an hour before Thursday’s meeting which he did not attend, exasperated at what he said was an “unacceptable” last minute turnaround by cabinet colleagues on the closures.
A council paper published earlier this month said County Hall had ‘reluctantly determined’ to propose the closure of Cowes Primary School as a result of a ‘significant decline in births’.
It said,
“This decline has been sustained over an extended period and the main factors leading to the closure proposal are low and falling pupil numbers impacting on the school’s financial viability and consequent concerns around the ability to sustain a high-quality education for pupils.”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
