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‘Education chief must go’ calls after Cradley ‘vandals’ jibe (From Halesowen News)
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‘Education chief must go’ calls after Cradley ‘vandals’ jibe
2:00pm Thursday 9th July 2009
OUTRAGED councillors have called for education chief Liz Walker to resign saying she made an “appalling” statement insulting Cradley residents.
Cllrs Tim Crumpton, Gaye Partridge and Richard Body were disgusted when they read comments made to the Halesowen News by cllr Walker after she was asked about the council's spend of £25,000 a month on the derelict Cradley High site with part of the cash going on security.
Cllr Walker, who is cabinet member for children's services, had said: “The people of Cradley choose to vandalise that site.
“If people were civil we wouldn't have this problem – that's why we have security on site. That's health and safety – we are liable for any miscreants injuring themselves.”
A statement issued by the trio read: “We believe these statements from cllr Walker bring her into disrepute and we demand a full public apology and her resignation from her post as we believe such behaviour is a terrible example to our children.”
They said cllr Walker is the “true vandal” claiming she did nothing to attract new pupils to the school even when warned it risked closure.
They said: “She did nothing about this and when challenged blamed the school teachers, governors and the people of Cradley for her failure.”
They also complained she “decided to close the leisure centre and presided over a sham consultation that the Ombudsman found to be flawed.”
The cllrs pointed out it would have cost £150,000 a year to keep the school open rather than £750,000 to close it for one year.
They said: “People in Cradley deserve far better. They are not vandals.
“In fact they are decent, law abiding generous people. Councillor Walker – you should be ashamed.”
Councillor Liz Walker said: “My point is we have a small minority in all of our communities intent on causing problems and it is this small group of people that make security costs unavoidable.”
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Your Say Your Halesowen
mom2kids, Halesowen says...
12:35pm Fri 10 Jul 09
Daisy Chayne, Cradley says...
1:10pm Fri 10 Jul 09
Notice how the consultation period starts one week before the school holidays??
Just like Cradley High. Kids lives are being messed yet again. Losing their friends by being dispersed to other schools in the borough. Just like Cradley kids. Promises of an academy school to merge Crestwood and Pensnett Schools have vanished into mid air. No doubt vasts amounts of tax payers money was spent in the process.
Notice how the schools are picked to close from certain areas. Maybe Cllr. Walker thinks we are beneath her feet.
L Thompson, Cradley says...
9:52pm Fri 10 Jul 09
The youth of Cradley need more support and not the withdraw of services. It is ludicrous to spend that amount of money on an empty site, when it could be usefully channelled in to schemes to help prevent vandalism occurring.
Dudley's education chief councillor Liz Walker
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Stuart Kettle, Cradley says...
9:32pm Thu 9 Jul 09