Government Defeat Local People over Wisewood School

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 22nd Jul 2008

The controlling Liberal Democrat Group on Sheffield City Council have reluctantly been forced to drop plans to keep Wisewood School open thanks to being effectively blackmailed by the Labour Government. Despite the Lib Dems coming up with a plan to provide £25m for the two school solution, the Labour Government threatened to withdraw £100m investment from other Sheffield schools if the closure did not go ahead.

Cllr Andrew Sangar, Liberal Democrat Cabinet member for Children's Services and Lifelong Learning, said: -

"It's with deep regret that we have been forced into this position. After fighting for over two years, trying our hardest for a two school solution, defeat is difficult to take. But we have exhausted all the options and come to a point were if we don't go ahead other Sheffield schools would lose £100 million of much needed investment."

"When the Government refused to provide the funding we even offered a £25m option to fund the two school solution ourselves, something which Labour said wasn't possible. So it's deplorable that the Government turned us down despite the fact we put the extra funding up."

"It's clear that the decision was politically motivated and influenced by Labour locally and nationally. The Governments position would have been the same no matter what we did. I'm sorry that the Labour Party have ignored the wishes of local people and have effectively imposed the closure. This is a sad day for the Hillsborough community, who will lose an excellent local school thanks to Labour."