Rise Park School

Following a recent Cabinet meeting, Havering Council have decided not to go ahead with the planned merger of Rise Park Infants and Junior schools, after a massive 95% of pupils and parents said a resounding NO to the Conservatives plans to close and merge the two schools.

At the time of the plan, Collier Row Councillor Andrew Mann has hit out at the Conservative Administration in their handling of the proposed amalgamation of the schools. The proposal to consult in joining the two schools together was started back in May, when Cabinet member for Education, Cllr Geoff Starns (Tory) signed an Executive Decision agreeing to consult on the amalgamation.

Cllr Mann was inundated with concerned parents who were unhappy that the two schools could merge into one, they were also disappointed following the public meetings that were held as the Council were biased towards merging the schools and gave no evidence as to what benefits it would have..

Cllr Mann, whose children have attended the school, for the last seven year said “I am amazed that the Council would want to even think about closing the infant and junior schools and making a new Primary school, this action should only be considered if the school is failing and Rise Park is far from that situation”.

The amalgamation plans were labelled a farce by Cllr Mann, after the three Conservative ward Councillors for Pettits Ward have all objected to the proposal by their own Cabinet colleague, with a few of them turning out for a photo shoot with the M.P for Romford and Cllr Starns all pretending to be concerned, they even brought along former Councillor, Alby Tebbutt.

Cllr Mann said “The farcical situation is that the Tories made the decision to consult on its merger in the first place and now they are all shouting their heads off suggesting they were against it, Cllr Starns evens turns up for a photo shoot against his own consultation”.

He went on “It would seem that the Conservative Party in North Romford are not content on ruining the reputation of Bower Park School (when they produced a leaflet suggesting it would close) they have now moved onto Rise Park, it would seem this bunch of so called local Councillors could not run a bath between them, let alone a Council”.