There’s a fantastic must-read article in this week’s Advertiser by Year 11 student Heather Ennis, writing on behalf of a group of St George’s students campaigning as “JUSTICE4GEORGES”. It’s well worth reading in full (click here), but here’s an important extract:
So where are the right people to ask? Where is Councillor Merry? Where is Councillor Warmisham? They should be meeting with us. Come into our school. What are you afraid of? A bunch of kids? The demolition of your arguments? Every Child Matters?
This is absolutely 100% correct. The right people to ask are Councillor Warmisham and Councillor Merry, but they have refused to even visit the school, and have stayed as far away from the consultation meetings as has been physically possible. The buck and the political responsibility stops with them, but they have hidden behind council officers (who are not responsible for the decision) at every turn.
So John and John, what are you afraid of?
Is there are possible way to FORCE the two Councillors to attend the meetings, using a technical regulation within the council?
I’m frankly astonished at such a display of naked cowardice and also utter contempt for both a large group of concerned Salfordian citizens and the democratic process.