Labour attack on school closure plan

AN outspoken attack on proposals to close a Warrington primary school has come from local Labour politicians.
Warrington North MP Helen Jones and members of the Labour group on the borough council have joined forces to condemn the proposed closure of Longbarn Primary.
They claim the plan makes no sense.
In a joint statement, the MP and Labour councillors say: “Longbarn has performed better at Key stage 2 than every other school in the north of Warrington, bar one.
The Lib Dems and Tories should be allowing all parents the choice of schools which provide good quality education for their children. By closing a
school which achieves good results, they are restricting parental choice. It makes no sense.
“Last year, Labour warned that the Lib Dems and Tories were planning primary school closures. They said we were scaremongering.
“Now with the axe poised above Longbarn, some of them are admitting we were right and are openly questioning the consultation process.
“Lib Dem councillor Scott Wilson told Poulton-with-Fearnhead parish council ‘This consultation is a waste of time…it’s a done deal.’
“We call on the council’s Lib Dem/Tory leadership to come clean and admit that Coun Wilson is right and the closure is a done deal and has been from day one.
“We ask them to conduct a proper consultation. If they did the school would not have to close.”
Council chiefs have been carrying out a consultation exercise and say no final decision has been made.
But if the closure proposal is finally approved, the school would close next year.