On Tuesday I took the opportunity to attend the Council’s ruling Cabinet meeting. One of the items up for discussion was a proposal to move the obscene proposals to close St George’s RC High School on to a formal consultation stage.
St George’s is a successful, oversubscribed school at the heart of the local community. The decision to close it is completely unjustifiable and I welcome the consultation process as another opportunity to show how the Labour Council have got this so badly wrong. Despite supposedly being simply a decision to go out for statutory consultation, Tuesday’s Cabinet paper managed to sink to new depths. This is what it says:
the enlargement of All Hallows and St Ambrose Barlow RC High Schools and the refurbishment of St Patrick’s RC High School are dependent on the closure of St George’s RC High School
This is an appalling attempt by the Labour Council to divide-and-rule the City’s Catholic schools. It is effective blackmail - the Catholic secondary schools are being told in no uncertain terms that if they do not submit to the closure of one of Salford’s most popular and successful schools then they will get nothing.
It is clear now that the Council have no intention of listening to anyone, and they have now resorted to attempting to drive a wedge through the excellent working relationship I know our Catholic secondary schools have got. They are professionals. The way in which the staff, parents and pupils at St George’s have continued under incredible stress and pressure has been exemplary. Unfortunately there is nothing professional about the way in which Cllr Warmisham and his Labour colleagues have acted with regard to St George’s High School.
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