Taxpayer to foot £1.5m bill thanks to Labour’s decision to close schools, say Greens
Labour’s decision to close two much-loved local schools could end up costing the taxpayer £1.5million, according to opposition Green councillors on Labour-run Brighton & Hove City Council.
Labour councillors had ignored last-minute pleas from parents and teachers and voted overwhelmingly to push ahead with their plans to close St Peter’s Community Primary School and Nursery, in Portslade, and St Bartholomew’s Church of England (CofE) Primary School.
Green councillors had voted against both proposals but their efforts to save the two schools were frustrated as Labour used their majority to force through the unpopular closures.
Green councillors have criticised the Labour leadership for outrightly dismissing a series of viable alternatives to closure put forward by the schools, including a suggestion by St Bartholomew’s head Katie Blood to drastically reduce the school’s deficit by switching to a half-form entry.
Labour councillors even rejected proposals to use a slower, phased approach to closure, which parents and staff argued would cause far less disruption to the lives of pupils at the school, an above-average number of whom have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
Despite the fierce opposition from families and staff and the workable alternatives presented to them, Labour moved decisively to vote for the third and final time to close both schools at a special council meeting on Monday evening.
Green councillors have now condemned the short-sightedness of Labour’s decisions and are warning taxpayers the move will cost the council upwards of £1.5million – money Greens say the council can ill-afford at a time of huge budget cuts. [1]
Opposition councillors have also questioned whether the funding crisis in our schools is going to improve any time soon – with the national Labour Party offering no indication funding will be restored under a Labour government – and whether further local schools will be identified for closure by Labour in the coming years.
Siân Berry, Green Party candidate for Brighton Pavilion constituency met protestors outside Hove Town Hall and attended the meeting from the public gallery, said:
“These votes saw just two Labour abstentions and the rest following the party whip to the letter. The Council should be listening to parents, pupils, and importantly, teachers.
“It’s clear that they aren’t interested in hearing alternative proposals. The headteacher at St Bart’s proposed an extended timetable and Greens support this sensible suggestion.
“But Labour is not even open to communication on this issue, and it has left parents and teachers feeling ignored. The impact on families who are now trying to find new schools and the stress of that while not being heard through the whole process means this has been a very sorry episode.
“The St Bart’s team could now appeal to the official adjudicators, so this isn’t necessarily over, but it was a sad day to see so many ideas ignored.”
Green councillor Chloë Goldsmith, who sits on the Children, Families, and Schools Committee, said: “For the third time pupils, parents, and staff of these two well-loved community schools turned up to plead with Labour councillors not to close their schools – or, at the very least, to listen to their alternative proposals that would minimise the intense disruption and harm these sudden closures will cause.
“This uncaring Labour administration chose instead to double down on their decisions, voting to push ahead with these closures on an accelerated timeline that does nothing to mitigate the harm they are inflicting on families and staff.
“Labour councillors have repeatedly dismissed the professional opinions of staff at these schools because they say they don’t see how their alternatives would improve things for the children.
“The arrogance required to think they know better than the educators who work with these children day in, day out, is astounding.
“Not only does Labour’s decision to close the schools come at a huge cost to pupil and staff wellbeing, but it will come at a serious financial cost to the council too. How Labour can justify spending over a million pounds closing two schools at a time when funding is desperately needed to keep council services running is shocking. All this process has proven is that Labour are unwilling to listen to our communities.”
ENDS
[1] As stated in Full Council meeting report:
St Bartholomew’s (Brighton):
Potential redundancy and possible pension costs – Based on latest estimated data from Human Resources there is an estimated cost of £413,000. Write-off of deficits at the point of closure – there is a deficit of approximately £200,000 expected at the end of the 2023/24 financial year. For the purposes of financial planning there is an assumption that there will be a final deficit of £250,000 at the end of the summer term 2024. Team around the school, costs to the Council of supporting displaced pupils, securing school sites after closure – Costs are not fixed but an estimate of £175,000 has been made to cover these areas. Potential pay protection of redeployments – There is uncertainty about the number of potential redeployments and whether protected pay arrangements will be required. An estimate of £40,000 is being allowed which represents 10 staff at £2,000 each for 2 years.
Total potential costs as summarised above total £878,000.
St Peter’s (Portslade):
Potential redundancy and possible pension costs – Based on latest estimated data from Human Resources there is an estimated cost of £230,000. This represents an assumption that 75% of staff will accept an offer of redundancy which is felt to be a prudent estimate. Write-off of deficits at the point of closure – there is a deficit of approximately £200,000 expected at the end of the 2023/24 financial year. For the purposes of planning there is an assumption that there will be a final deficit of £250k at the end of the summer term 2024.Team around the school, costs to the Council of supporting displaced pupils, securing school sites after closure – Costs are not fixed but an estimate of £175,000 has been made to cover these areas.
Total Potential Costs as summarised above total £695,000.