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This from a ‘very angry Wroxall parent’. Ed
‘Make sure your voice is heard!’ proclaimed the Isle of Wight council on its Facebook page, shortly before the second consultation on the school place planning report closed early in February, urging responses from the public.
Three short weeks later, thousands upon thousands of consultations were supposedly analysed, and five separate (and yet virtually identical) reports were released on each of the schools – Oakfield, Wroxall, Arreton, Brading and Cowes – all still recommending closure. This is in spite of, in Wroxall’s case, over 700 consultation responses, showing over 86 per cent of all respondents disagreed with the proposal.
They ‘acknowledged’ each and every one of our concerns, then basically concluded ‘ahh well, we’re going to do it anyway!’.
With the fast tracked devolution process and subsequent cancellation of May’s council elections, the Island residents are already feeling that their democratic rights have been stripped away. Many residents feel that this consultation process was flawed and has not given proper weight to public opinion
The dismissive irrelevance they have placed on hours upon hours of meetings, research and discussions on alternative proposals is, frankly, disgusting. A passage in the cabinet papers could be interpreted as downplaying the concerns of parents and carers, which is concerning
The Cabinet appears set to vote these closures through, and to my knowledge, they have not visited the schools in question. The council have made it very clear that they have made their decision, and we have to live with it.
Let’s not forget this when we are finally allowed to foist these contemptuous individuals from their ivory tower.
