Short-changed?

Day 181

18 November 2009

Today Dorset County Council published their report on the future of schools in Purbeck.
Despite a growing number of parents in Swanage wanting a secondary school in the town, rather than having to send their children on a 20 mile round trip to school each day; despite it being a perfectly reasonable request for improving a child's quality of life/education; despite the presence of a secondary school in Swanage impacting positively on the local community and economy, the council have decided to reject the idea and instead press ahead for a single school in Wareham for children aged 11-18.
Interestingly, the last time I checked, we live under the guise of a democracy. The council have decided to short-change our children by not only cutting down on their social, economic, environmental and educational needs. The council have failed to realise that their decision will have a severe impact on the community. They have failed to realise that we need a secondary school in Swanage. They have conveniently forgotten that we pay higher council tax rates in Swanage compared to other parts of Purbeck and yet we are expected to forego our own benefits for the sake of others.
But all is not lost. Swanage residents fought the decision last year to close our recycling centre, which would have resulted in us having to do a 20 mile round trip to recycle our waste. We won that fight and were rewarded with a new centre in Swanage to succeed the old centre. We have successfully fought the decision to close the day centre.
I firmly believe that we will have a successful secondary school in Swanage. It's just going to be a bit of a mountain to climb!