PARENTS TAKE COUNCIL TO COURT

On February 10th a group of parents is taking Northumberland County Council to court,
to save our 3 Tier School System and avoid years of cuts to Council Services.

Our case is that the Council have failed to honour its commitment (made over a year ago) to undertake an independent evaluation of the financial and educational case for change before embarking on its radical plans for school closures.

In Summer 2004 the Leader of the Council admitted that, without £250 million of government funding for this scheme Northumberland would face a ‘crippling financial legacy’. The Council has failed to win any Government money but is continuing with its School Closure Programme starting in Cramlington.

As a result, the Council Leader’s own prediction is set to come true with the following threats to services:

• Council Care Homes Closures
• Fire Service Cuts
• New Transport Schemes Shelved
• Redundancies for Local Government Key Workers
• Big Cuts in Road Maintenance
• Wholesale Sell-off of Public Buildings and Land
• Council Tax Rises
• Cuts in School Budgets across the County from Day 1

All this to fund unnecessary changes to a successful 3 Tier System that works well for the County’s children. Only to replace it with one that, Government ministers agree, has no educational advantages.

Where’s the sense in all this?

You can still make a difference by putting pressure on your local Councillors to stop this now.

PFLA – DONATION FORM

If you would like to make a donation then print this page, complete the form below and return to us at the address specified. If you want your donation to be anonymous then please omit your contact details.

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Please make cheques payable to “Parents for Legal Action” and send to John Bettney, Lloyds TSB, Priestpopple, Hexham, Northumberland, NE46 1PA, UK. Alternatively, you could arrange an electronic transfer to PFLA’s account at Lloyds TSB, Priestpopple, Hexham – Sort Code 30-94-19; Account number: 01019826.

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Please return form and payment to: John Bettney, Lloyds Bank, Priestpopple, Hexham, NE46 1PA