Councillor Susan Emmott doubts Holy Family assurances

Councillor Susan Emmott has said that she has serious doubts about the so-called “assurance” from the Council Cabinet on pupil places at the joint faith Holy Family High School in Heywood.

She said: “It is funny that when we find ourselves in the midst of local elections, and after Labour’s petition calling for the extra school places has been doing the rounds in Heywood, that the Lib Dem Cabinet and Councillor Peter Rush can suddenly, as if by magic, give this assurance that they will support a rise of up to 150 places at the school if applications exceed the current 600 already agreed by the Cabinet. But, let’s be clear about this, the assurance is only words and nothing but words, and on previous form, I do not trust them to honour it.

"Last year, again conveniently just before the local elections, the same party gave an assurance to build an Arts Centre in Rochdale and as yet we’ve seen nothing on this empty promise.

"I believe Holy Family is to the Lib Dems in Heywood what their phantom Arts Centre is to Rochdale. Pardon my cynicism, but frankly, I don’t believe them.

“What is more, Heywood parents are already being denied a place for their child at a Heywood high school for this Autumn 2008. I predicted that would happen in a Rochdale Online Councillor Diary some months ago, and now the chickens are coming home to roost. These children are being denied a place at a high school in Heywood because of Lib Dem intransigence and a complete failure to listen to the governing body of Holy Family several months ago.”

“What does the Lib Dem Cabinet have to say to those children already denied a high school place in Heywood for this year? I challenge Councillor Rush to visit their parents to tell them why the great reassurance from his party colleagues will be neither use nor ornament to them this coming autumn term.”

“Its not just me that is cynical about this eleventh hour cosmetic exercise, many people in Heywood have the same opinion and it will take more than warm words and Lib Dem spin to convince them otherwise.

"We will continue with our campaign and petition.”