Published 1st March, 1995.
Cuts Education cuts
I was lobbied by four teachers from Elliott Durham, as well as the Moran family, before the County Council meeting last Thursday.
The teachers wanted more resources directed to the school to meet the problems of teaching so many kids from poor families. This is of course highly restricted by Government diktat.
Tories want to close schools
The issue came alive however, when the Tories advocated closing 4 schools in the County, including Farnborough (in Clifton), the Forest and a further unnamed school in the north of the City district.
Forest & Elliott Durham
Elliott Durham was to become a "beacon of excellence", with the pupils coming from the Forest school.
Whilst it would be true -
- that economies of scale could yield benefits;
- that funds could be applied for to improve the buildings and - savings could be put back into the schools budget,
I opposed the move because -
- it meant merging the school with the poorest intake, with Elliott Durham, which has the third poorest;
- it was based on false figures on school capacity;
- that closing Forest would be a statement of surrender for the area; ...
- truancy in Hyson Green and Forest would increase.
The proposal does nothing to increase revenue funding to actually make the school a beacon of excellence.
I'll produce a copy of my speech for anyone who wants one.
Public Transport Plan
The latest plan is to be presented at an exhibition at the MCA, on Thursday 9th March.
Main proposals in the next year's budget are -
bus lanes for Hucknall Road & Carlton Road;
park & ride for Nottingham racecourse;
Finance for bus lanes for Mansfield Road are to be applied for next year.
Jack Barker
We'd sung the Red Flag at his funeral. And when tributes were paid to him at Thursday's County Council; we sang the Red Flag again.
Economic Development Cttee.
Some interesting reports this month.
Single Regeneration Budget
Plans for spending the single regeneration budget money allocated to North Notts. are now being made.
Nottingham did not win any money this time. Concern is expressed that Notts. could have won more money if it had entered one bid.
Chilwell
The Govt. have decided to close the Ordnance Depot.
The hope is that the M.o.D. will sell the site as a whole to allow some strategic development, including perhaps a new railway station and a park & ride.
Acorn Initiative
£2 million has been created by cuts in other services for new priorities.
Under Fives
A range of child care proposals have been proposed to help parents stay in work.
City Centre Management
Support for a city centre manager will continue; I called for the private sector to provide more money so that shopping centres like Sherwood could have the same sort of management & support.
Tories drop nurseries
Labour spent a large part of the meeting attacking the Tories for dropping their commitment to nursery education; only picked up as a big idea at the last Tory conference. Thyra Grove Emma & I are lobbying for improvements related to the footpath and rebutting lies being put about by the local Neighbourhood Watch.
Kingsthorpe
I have lobbied Graham Chapman on the matter and he is giving the estate a very high priority.
The conference to launch the campaign was quite interesting. City Council Campaign
Alan Whitehead
This former leader of Southampton Council made some telling points.
That Labour activists & councillors should be honest - it pays in the long run.
Commitments
That the Party discussion document for regenerating local democracy makes three commitments -
- business rate should be set locally once more; and the level of local taxes should be at least 50%;
- capping should be ended;
- compulsory competitive tending should end.
Control
There were some bad practices within Labour Councils; but the Tories have only 2 mechanisms.
To force councils to accept tenders that a private company would not accept.
Performance indicators which are used just to badmouth local government.
True tests
We should accept tests of phone call & letter responses.
But the audit commission should actually be testing the truth of Council commitments.
The public need good quality public services.
… Liberal Focus
Again the latest leaflet fails to highlight specific local issues.
Further, in highlighting the poor performance of schools in the city, it fails to mention the intake of the city schools, and how value-added analysis can show city schools performing satisfactorily. Cases
61 in 1995.
Unemployment
631
15.9% (December 1994).
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