Bosses made to think again over Lyndale (From Wirral Globe)

Bosses made to think again over Lyndale

6:30am Wednesday 5th July 2006 in Search By Geoff Barnes

PLANS to shake up Wirral's special education provision - which could have led to school closures and mergers - have been shelved, the Globe can reveal.

Wirral Council's powerful cabinet rejected a document from education director Howard Cooper which speculated about possible closures and mergers and called for officers to take a fresh look at the issue.

Lyndale, the Eastham-based special school whose projects have been backed by Globe readers to the tune of almost a hundred thousand pounds, was at risk of losing pupils and being merged with another school.

But education chief Cllr Phil Davies said: "I can assure you there are no plans to close Lyndale. There was a feeling that this was about closing special schools - in fact it is about looking at issues like the need to improve the offer for post-16 children, and things like trying to ensure kids going there get the opportunity to experience mainstream schooling as well as looking at the physical condition of some of the schools.

"There has been a misunderstanding that this review of special schools will be the same as that on primary schools which was about closure. This was never the aim."

Tory chief Cllr Jeff Green said: "I didn't think a further review was necessary the whole thing is ridiculous.

“I would like to thank the Globe for bringing this to the attention of the public "

Cllr Jeff Green

"I would like to thank the Globe for bringing this to the attention of the public and for exposing what bureaucracy was seeking to achieve."