Island council opposes cabinet plan to close schools

Isle of Wight councillors have narrowly voted against plans to close five primary schools on the island.

Full council voted 12 to 11, with six abstentions, against issuing closure notices at Arreton St George, Brading, Cowes, Oakfield and Wroxall primary schools.

However, the ballot was non-binding and advisory, with the council's cabinet having the final say on 6 March.

A public consultation will end on Monday.

On Saturday, hundreds of people gathered in Newport to protest against the closures, which unions say have "terrified" pupils and will make more than 200 members of staff redundant.

The local authority, led by the Alliance Group, says it is seeking to address a significant decline in pupil numbers due to a falling birth rate, which is causing a financial strain on the council.

It said nearly there were 1,900 unfilled places in mainstream schools as of October 2023 and it projected that figure to rise to 3,056 by September 2027.

During Wednesday's debate, Independent Labour councillor Geoff Brodie said: "We have an excess of places - that has an effect on every school.

"Let's face it, it doesn't matter which schools are on the list, there'll be a campaign against it."

A separate vote on whether processes were followed in deciding the closures ended with 16 in favour and 13 against.

Liberal Democrat group leader Andrew Garratt said: "Ultimately, it comes down to whether the informed stakeholders... are satisfied that the process is fair.

"Nothing suggests to me these people, who are well informed about their schools and their communities and the children that attend those schools, are confident in any way in the process."

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