School fury at more upheaval for pupils

Written by Cllr Robin Hughes on Mon 26th Nov 2007

I would like to add my comments on the article in Friday's paper concerning the school fury at more upheaval for pupils. In September there where rumours that the Shepherds Spring Junior school buildings would be closed and both the Shepherds Spring Junior and Infant schools would operate from the infant school buildings from January 2008. At the end of September 2007 I was given the following assurances from the county council officers;

"The latest position with regard to the Shepherds Spring schools is that they will continue to operate from their own buildings up until closure in 2008. Discussions have taken place with both schools about the potential to operate out of one building due to their low numbers (below 90 across both schools) and the need to accommodate the Education Centre (PRU) at the end of the current lease in March 2008. However, the option of operating from one building was turned down by the schools."

In November in the absence of open and honest communication with the local community rumours again began to circulate about the closure of the Shepherds Spring Junior buildings. I received correspondence from one concerned parent who complained of "bully tactics" on behalf of county council officers and Cllr Kirk who "shows complete disregard for the children attending the school." There was never any suggestion in the original schools consultation that the Junior and Infant schools affected would be have to operate from a single building before closure in July 2008. That proposal was never discussed at the Cabinet meeting of the County Council or the School Organisation Committee. Incredibly despite the previous assurance given by officers only five weeks before, county officers and the Conservative Executive Lead member for Children's Services (Education) were now insisting on closure of Shepherds Spring Junior school buildings.

Cllr Kirk and his County officers would have known that the current lease of the Andover Education Centre (PRU) was due end in June 2008. Now they are desperate to accommodate the Andover Education Centre (PRU) you have to ask the question, "Why did you not plan for it?" The head teacher is absolutely right this should have been planned for and sorted out years ago.

I would like to suggest that there is another option that could possibly be considered as an interim solution. The closed children's home in Shepherds Row, Andover which is owned by the county council may be a suitable location. The closed children's home consists of two very substantial detached houses which have been boarded up for the past few years. As the site is not currently used there will be no problems in gaining immediate access to start work on any remedial repairs or adaptation works. The grounds I believe are also large enough for the sitting of temporary buildings if any were to be required. I would not expect any remedial or adaptation works to cost anywhere near £500,000. If these buildings are brought back into use, then following use by the Andover Education Centre they could again be used for housing or perhaps community uses. Considering the large number of people requiring housing in Andover it is a tragedy that the two houses have been boarded up for so long. The use of these buildings would avoid any further disruption or chaos being forced on the Shepherd Spring school community.

Cllr Kirk will not be surprised that closure of the Shepherds Spring Junior buildings prior to July 2008 is generating some anger in the area. His actions and excuses are reinforcing the view that the closure of the Shepherds Spring schools was never about excess school places but simply a convenient way to find buildings for the Andover Education centre, a Children's centre and the realising of the capital value of the remainder of the school site. It appears that the needs of the pupils, staff, and parents have become a secondary consideration to the relocation of the Andover Education Centre.