Schools consultation period draws to a close

The initial consultation period into the proposed amalgamation or merger of 16 schools across Shropshire will come to an end tomorrow (Friday 2 May).

Shropshire County Council cabinet members have visited every school being considered for change, and public meetings have been held at each school.

A special cabinet meeting will now be held on 19 May, when councillors will consider the many responses from the consultation.

Each amalgamation proposal will be considered separately in order for cabinet members to give full attention to each one. There will be no other items on the agenda.

Councillors will decide whether or not to move to a stage of formal consultation on each proposal. For those proposals which do move to the next stage, a period of formal consultation will take place lasting almost two months, and a further meeting of the cabinet will take place in late July when final decisions will be made.

Councillor Ann Hartley, cabinet member for children’s services, said: “It is important to remember this was the initial period of consultation, and there is still a long way to go before any final decisions are made. What we will be considering on 19 May is the responses to the first round of consultation. We need to discuss the reactions and views of parents, governors, teachers and the wider community to each of the proposals. Any decisions will be made with the educational needs of children at the forefront of our minds.”

1 May 2008