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St Edward’s rally to urge you to Have your Say.
'Last throw of the dice' to save schools
Chris Morris24/ 9/2008
PARENTS and children from three town primaries are rallying troops for the final battle to save their schools.
The trio in danger – Ash Grove, St Barnabas and St Edward’s – are subject to public consultation over the next two days – in a "last throw of the dice" for residents.
Ash Grove Primary School, earmarked for closure under Cheshire County Council’s (CCC) Transforming Learning Communities (TLC), begins its consultation on Wednesday (September 24).
St Barnabas Church of England School, on Byron Street, and St Edward’s Catholic Primary School, on Fir Grove, which are proposed to join in a new dual-faith school, follow on Thursday (September 25).
With the deadline for the meeting between residents and CCC education chiefs looming, parents are urging those concerned to get ready to voice their views.
Mother-of-four Lynn McCay, who has lived on the Moss Estate for 20 years and is chair of governors at Ash Grove, said: "We need this school to stay open – it’s the heart of the community.
"So everyone needs to come along because it’s the last throw of the dice.
"The school is the starting point for the whole community and if you take that away you take everything.
"We’ve been knocked down so many times and if Ash Grove was to close down it would be the final nail of the coffin for this area."
She added: "It’s just trampling on the downtrodden."
Janet West, member of the PTA at St Edward’s, said: "We want to raise awareness of the consultations so that people get their voices heard.
"It’s the last chance to get your point of view across."
The TLC project was first introduced by CCC in 2005, tasked with reducing the number of surplus places in Cheshire’s schools.
Due to delays in the process, CCC will see it up to and including April 2009 when the new Cheshire East Authority takes the reins.
The town’s political leaders, including Macclesfield South Councillor and St Edwards’ governor Brian Puddicombe and MP Sir Nicholas Winterton, will also be in attendance at the public consultations.
Coun Puddicombe said: "I’m 100 per cent behind the parents’ campaign and I hope they will make a stand."
Sir Nick added: "I know the closure of any school can be a traumatic experience for the local community and the presence of a school within the community has a large advantage."
Consultations for Ash Grove, on Belgrave Road, take place at the school on Wednesday, September 24, 5pm to 7pm.
The St Barnabas and St Edward’s consultations follow on Thursday, September 25, 5pm to 7pm, at St Edwards, on Fir Grove.
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25/09/2008 at 02:34