Labour plan to axe two local secondary schools

4.14.56pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 1st Nov 2006

Myers Grove School (pictured) and Wisewood School will close under the councils plans

Labours Town Hall bosses have come under fire for planning the closure of two Sheffield Secondary Schools in secret for months. Liberal Democrats are demanding to know why local parents and staff have not been involved earlier in the controversial move.

Under plans put forward by the council both Wisewood Secondary School and Myers Grove Secondary School will close and a new school will be built on the Myers Grove site with a reduction of 750 pupil places. The move will leave the Hillsborough ward without a local secondary school.

Lib Dems can reveal that education council officers refused to tell senior Liberal Democrats about possible school closures only last month. Lib Dems are calling for senior Labour bosses to explain why they are not proposing other options, only the closure of schools.

Councillor David Baker, Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and local councillor, said: -

"I am absolutely furious that Labour bosses have dropped this bombshell on local parents and staff out of the blue. It is unacceptable that Labour have been planning these closures for months without letting anyone know"

"Wisewood and Myers Grove are both popular local schools that have been achieving good results recently. Parents will be worried that under these plans there will be significantly less school places in the area and Hillsborough ward in particular will be left without a local secondary school. There are no other options proposed by Labour, they are only considering the closure of schools"

"Labour must now explain why they have dealt with this sensitive issue in such a secretive way. Local parents, pupils and staff deserve to know why they have been kept in the dark for so long by Labour"