The Keighley News came under heavy fire during last-minute discussions over the school shake-up.

During Tuesday's meetings Cllr Eileen McNally, a labour representative of Craven ward (Silsden, Steeton and Eastburn) launched a scathing attack on the newspaper. She accused the Keighley News of backing Keighley's 'education gurus' and of not publishing the answers to important questions. This, she said, had allowed 'misconception to come forward from people who have no idea of what's going to happen in the Keighley area' and that it was a 'waste of time to read the snide comments'.

According to Cllr McNally, the people of Keighley have also not been helped by the statements 'spewed out' by Keighley Education Action Group.

The Keighley News, in her words, had reported the council's attempt at being constructive throughout the proposals as being a 'sickly platitude'. She argued that the review team had listened and 'investigated the positive' in addition to speaking to more people than any other authority on one subject. The newspaper was accused of being 'sensationalist' and 'negligent' in its duty towards the people, whose confidence in the review team had been 'undermined'.

Cllr McNally went on to say that details of the 'so-called missing 270 secondary school places in Keighley' had been published in an 'irresponsible manner'. She said more than 900 pupils travel out of Keighley to schools in North Yorkshire and that South Craven School was built for 'this area of Craven' but when the boundary changed, it put the school just over the border. "We are not allowed to provide secondary education for pupils who are not likely to use it," said Cllr McNally. "We cannot force anyone to change their preferences."

Over the closure of Oldfield First School, Cllr McNally said most pupils live in the village and that many 'pass more than one school on their way to Oldfield'.

She also said that Bront Middle School was not a purpose-built secondary school and that 'substantial investment' would be needed to meet the specifications of an 11-18 age group. She said: "We hear Oakbank School wants to take over the Bront site and extend its provision. We have not seen the proposals but the site is owned by the local education authority (LEA) and only it can publish notices in respect of that site."

She summed up her assault by saying: "It's a time for everyone to pull together."

Opinion, page 10

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