Opposition Conservatives on Salford City Council have condemned the decision by the ruling Labour administration to formally tie funding for three Salford RC High Schools to the closure of St George’s RC High School in Walkden.
A consultation document approved by Salford’s cabinet clearly states that “the enlargement of All Hallows and St Ambrose Barlow RC High Schools and the refurbishment of St Patrick’s RC High School are dependent on the closure of St George’s RC High School”.
Walkden South Conservative Councillor Iain Lindley said:
“I know that Salford’s four Catholic schools have an excellent working relationship and I am appalled that the Council is using a divide-and-rule strategy to push through such a contentious decision. It is effectively blackmail - if the other three Roman Catholic High Schools and the Diocese do not go along with the closure of St George’s then they risk the withdrawal of the remaining funding”
“It beggars belief that the Labour Council continues to push ahead with the closure of a successful, oversubscribed school, and it is clear that they are now prepared to go to any lengths to do so”
Summer Ruined By Maternity Decision
Leader comment by Conservative Group Leader Cllr Karen Garrido - originally published by the Salford Advertiser.
It has not been much of a Summer with the weather, we have had our holidays and the children are all starting their new year back at school, so summer is officially over, except if you are a Member of Parliament and you have a few more weeks. Having said that, over the summer recess this Labour Government has come up with one particular decision which will have an unbelievable effect on our city.
I did say in my first article that as Leader of Salford’s Official Opposition I would not use these articles to attack the other political parties but would put forward our vision, as Conservatives, for the City. This week however, I must deviate a little because the Conservative Group is so incensed about the closure of the Maternity Unit at Hope Hospital as well as our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
The closure of Hope was opposed by all political parties locally and with the help of the public, thousands of signatures were collected by the Advertiser, but this Labour Government has not listened, they have just gone ahead with plans to close this vital service – but then isn’t this what we have come to expect from Labour. Continue reading ‘Summer Ruined By Maternity Decision’