News

CAREY'S SUPPORT FOR SELSTED SCHOOL CHALLENGED

Kent County Councillor for Elham Susan Carey will be wearing the local member hat when the report of the public consultation on the proposal to close Selsted School is discussed at the School Organisation Advisory Board (SOAB) meeting in Maidstone on Thursday, 7 September.

But Cllr Carey has confused supporters of the school, and a comment o­n the Gazette Chatterbox  "WOT, did I read right! Susan Carey in favour of keeping Selsted School open. Bit like Saul on the way to Damascus" challenged her over the alleged change of view.

However when we asked Cllr Carey about the report on the public consultation of Selsted School where she is stated to be supporting the case against closure, she denied an about turn.

She wrote saying: "I'm not changing my position!   I still support the primary strategy and the need to reduce surplus places.  I've done my best to explain the strategy and the reasons why some schools are being consulted on for closure.

"You can't make a good case against if you don't understand the reasons for.

"There's no doubt that Selsted is a school that needs to be considered for closure - falling rolls, teaching in less than four classes, empty places at nearby schools etc.- I said I would wear a local member hat at the SOAB meeting and speak o­n behalf of the parents so that their view was heard."

In the public consultation report, the views of the local member are stated as follows : " Miss Susan Carey, Local Member for Elham Valley, supports the Primary Strategy and the need to replace surplus places. As local member, she is supporting the case against closure as made by the parents and children currently at Selsted."