It’s day two of the consultation period for the proposed changes to Salford’s Roman Catholic secondary schools, including the ludicrous decision to close St George’s High School in Walkden.
Of course, it’s only day two of the consultation if you’re a council officer, have a copy of September’s council cabinet papers or read this website yesterday. If you’re a member of the public who wants to have their views on the proposals noted, the Council hasn’t let you know there is a consultation on yet. No letters have been sent out to interested parties, and there is still nothing on the website.
This is simply not good enough.
I have sent Council officers an e-mail expressing my concerns, I have reprinted the key part of it below:
I am concerned that the whole point of having two months of consultation rather than six weeks is somewhat undermined by the delay in getting information out. I understand the difficulties of scheduling meetings but there is no reason why all the other information – such as a form and postal address for representations – could not be already present on the website. As it is we are already into the consultation period, but the only people who know that the consultation period even exists are those of us with the cabinet papers from last month plus council officers and school staff involved in the arrangements.
If you could let me know what arrangements are being made to inform the following groups of people I would be very grateful:
- Parents of children in the local primary schools without elder siblings already at the schools
- Parents of toddlers and babies who may wish to attend those schools in the future
- Local residents in the vicinity of the school sites. I know for the equivalent Walkden High School consultation that all residents in the Birch Road estate were notified, will this be the case again?
- Community groups and local residents who may not have children or siblings at the school but who wish to have their say.
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