Readers' letters

In the latter case one large firm or consortium would carry out the work. This is a huge programme, which if approved by the Department for Education and Employment, will allow our schools to be in first class condition to deliver education to our children. Temporary buildings will be replaced and new buildings will be added. I would expect all the primary schools in the Worth Valley (whatever the final configuration) to benefit from such work

Nothing is without a price and so the DFEE will expect the council to make a contribution from the 60 plus sites that are sold or used for other purposes. These receipts have been estimated at £25 million. In addition, the Church of England, which manages, in partnership with the council, a number of schools throughout the District is able to call upon Government funds separately for capital work, and this is estimated at £20 million.

The net effect of these figures is the council will be looking to the Government to fund a capital programme of between £100 and £48 million and the financing charges that will arise. The point of the present consultation is to welcome public comment so that the best balance of schools is obtained and detailed work on building requirements assessed.

In addition it is expected that the release of sites will save about £4 million per annum in running costs, primarily from building maintenance expenses, and this will be added to school budgets after transitional costs, such as training of staff for new roles, have been met.

The School's Review will not proceed unless it hangs together educationally because the Government will not finance it. This round of the consultation is an important element of the process.

Cllr John Cope,

Labour Worth Valley,

member of the Education Committee,

Station Road, Oakworth.

SIR - In reply to Kris Hopkin's letter dated March 27, 1998, may we congratulate him on his accurate prediction of the closure of Bront' Middle School.

When we read his letter, we were shocked to find that the closure of Bront' school was in fact earmarked years ago, and the only reason for closure was purely financial gain. This has been confirmed to us since through several well-informed people.

We were promised by the council that the children's welfare and educational needs would not be sacrificed in any way during the proposed change-over.

They are doing exactly the opposite in this case by closing an already over-subscribed, well-respected school.

The proposal for most junior schools to move up into the larger, well equipped middle schools is indeed logical, but in this case there seems to be a turnaround, in moving down to a much smaller, less equipped school.

All respect to Oakworth First School, it is a good junior school with a very good reputation, to build on top to accommodate more classrooms is fine, but it still hasn't the natural size of Bront'.

Bront' Middle School has gymnasiums, a new learning centre for science and computer technology, more than adequate space for sporting activities, indoor and outdoor.

Oakworth First has none of these and cannot provide these because purely and simply it hasn't the space to.

Anyone who sits down and logically looks over the two sites would, like the majority of us, come to the conclusion that the only practical site is that of Bront'.

Lastly, when we learned of the closure, we immediately phoned the review committee, telephone number 01274 751915.

The response from Mr Watson was the mothers wouldn't push their prams up to Bront' School! We didn't find this a satisfactory reply, indeed, it came across as small-minded and ludicrous, and if that is the logical thinking behind the review team, then God help our children's future at their hands.

S J Scott,

Harewood Crescent,

Oakworth

SIR - The Review of School Provision (read - closure of any schools with good real-estate value) enters its final 'meaningful level of consultation' (meaning - confirmation of closure deferred until after the local elections).

The parents, staff and communities which are fighting to keep open Oldfield and Bront' Schools need all the support they can muster. It was no co-incidence that the closure announcements were made the week before the Easter break, attempting to lessen the backlash from school communities. If we are to succeed in changing the minds of the Councillor Flood and Co. we need to work together.

Our three Worth Valley Labour Councillors must confront their leaders and refuse to vote with the party line. If they do not, they will be ignoring the community they represent and most importantly, the people who trusted them when elected.

Both communities have much more to loose than places of excellent schooling. Oldfield school is Oldfield, while Oakworth is threatened with a massive housing complex which will redefine a village already under siege.

Kris Hopkins,

Conservative candidate

for Worth Valley, Oakworth

Grange, Oakworth.

SIR - Once again we are seeing how out of touch councillors are, making ridiculous proposals to close successful schools in an insane belief that standards will rise, class sizes will fall and that children will not be adversely affected in the process. The councillors claim that no proposal is 'set in stone' and welcome constructive comments for and against their proposals.

Does this mean, however, that they will listen to sense? Only time will tell, but there will continue to be much criticism and questioning of the way this whole process has been handled, from supposed initial consultation to alternative provisions for children and teachers of proposed schools survive while others close.

What criteria have been considered before the proposed axe? For example, what valid reason can there be for the closure of Oldfield School - bearing in mind that the schools review is purely about raising educational standards and New Labour's recent statement that rural schools must not be allowed to close?

Oldfield's academic results are high, the books are balanced, the children happy and eager to learn, while the village and surrounding area benefits from the many events and activities that are so important in keeping rural communities together. We hope New Labour keep their word by blocking the proposals to close this crucial village school. Labour councillors take heed! With local elections looming, we wonder if the results will go quite the way they are hoping...?

J and P D Ives,

Farley Crescent, The Oaks,

Oakworth, Keighley

SIR - Re the proposed closure of Bront' Middle School. As a mere ratepayer I would like to ask three questions about the above proposal.

1 Which body of ratepayers funded (or partially funded) the building of this well equipped and well situated school?

2 If the school and superb playing fields are sold, will the proceeds be absorbed into the coffers of Bradford Met, to disappear for evermore as far as the ratepayers of Keighley are concerned?

3 If the school building and surrounding fields are turned into a housing estate, probably for younger families, which school in the area will be able to cater for the children of such families?

To me personally, the entire idea is a way for Bradford Met. to obtain increased funding at the expense of the Keighley rate-paying population.

Wilf Mellor,

Moorview Court,

Sandbeds, Keighley.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.