AN independent investigation is needed into the consultation carried out on the controversial proposal to close the sixth form at Culcheth High School, according to Warrington North MP Helen Jones.
She says material released as a result of a Freedom of Information (FOI) request by her son – Cllr Chris Vobe – suggests that borough council officers attempted to manipulate the consultation and ensure it closes.
Ms Jones (right) said: “It is evident that council officers have, at the very least, been supporting the school governors and pushing for closure before any consultation was launched.
“How can parents and students have any faith in this process when the evidence suggests that the consultation is little more than a sham?”
The MP says she has asked Warrington Borough Council’s chief executive to brief her on the extent of any internal investigation into the matter.
But she added: “I think an independent investigation is very much needed at this point. There are questions to be answered about the way this matter has been handled and the integrity of the consultation process has to be in doubt. “
Ms Jones said it was her understanding that the council’s role was to facilitate a consultation.
But the documents released under FOI showed a clear bias from council officers towards closing the sixth form.
“Indeed, it is difficult to come to any conclusion other than that they have been manipulating events – a suggestion that the sixth form be maintained for a year or so to try to develop a strategy for a more sustainable provision was shot down with no discussion at all.”
The MP cited a number of e-mail exchanges between officers to back up her view.
In one an officer suggested information be not released to councillors until officers had the opportunity to “build the case” for closing the sixth form.
On another occasion, when a member of the school staff contributed to the consultation by emailing the council with comments, the email was forwarded to the head teacher within 12 minutes – a probable breach of data protection legislation according to Ms Jones.
Ms Jones said: “The content of some of these e-mails is shocking.
“It is evident that council officers have, at the very least, been supporting the governors and pushing for closure before any consultation was launched.”
Cllr Hitesh Patel (left), the borough council’s lead member for children and young people, has investigated the claims made by Ms Jones and Cllr Vobe.
He said: “I have found no evidence of a conspiracy or of collusion by officers of the council.
“I do believe their comments were taken out of context because I have seen how hard they work for the good of young people in this town.”
He blamed increased competition from other schools and colleges and a decrease in funding for post-16 education for Culcheth sixth form’s difficulties.
The real nail in the coffin for Culcheth came when the Government announced in 2010 a change in the way they funded post-16 education, which meant Culcheth received just £4,075 per student compared with £4,509 as previously.
This meant the school could not make the sixth form, with only 57 pupils, viable,without taking significant amounts of money designated for 1,000 11-16-year-olds.
The school estimated if they were forced to continue the sixth form in its current format, they would have to find about £384,000 to make up the shortfall – the equivalent of at least 10 teachers.
