Children are the future, and the future is always changing.
It is vital that we, as a Council and as a community, equip our young people for an ever-evolving world. Here the Council has a crucial role to ensure a good education for all our young people across the Borough.
For many years Wokingham has been one of the best places to live and raise a family.
Naturally, demand for school places locally reflects that. The Council should be acting decisively to meet these challenges.
I am sorry to say that the current Liberal Democrat/Labour Coalition have no plans and no ideas when it comes to education.
Their lack of action will only put more pressure on places and may force children to travel further to school.
In 2021, I was delighted to initiate and implement Wokingham Youth Council’s inaugural meeting as the Executive Member for Children’s Services.
The Youth Council provides a platform for young people in Wokingham to debate issues important to them. They also challenge and provide feedback to the Council on its strategies and plans. I have seen it grow and the benefits it gives to young people.
I, and Conservative colleagues, on the Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee recently recommended that the Youth Council should present at Full Council and I hope the Executive will listen to our recommendation.
As well as listening to young people the Council also needs to listen to, and work closely with, educators.
During my time as Executive Member for Education and Children’s Services, I set up the Borough Educational Partnership, comprising headteachers to do just that, as well as determine educational strategy and priorities. It is headteachers who understand the educational needs of their communities, students, parents, and guardians. Their input is vital.
During the previous Conservative administration, we worked hard with schools across the Borough to address short- and long-term capacity challenges owing to changes in population. Despite an unprecedented rise in demand for year seven places for last year’s intake, we were able to work with schools to meet demand.
I and my Conservative colleagues are concerned at the lack of action on the plans to expand Bohunt School which was approved by the Council in March 2022 following years of campaigning by local Conservative councillors.
The plans were to create a separate sixth form, 30 extra year 7 places and extra Special Educational Needs places – all desperately needed.
Under the Conservatives, the Council was on track to deliver the extra capacity by September 2023, but the current Liberal Democrat/Labour administration have admitted that it will not now be ready.
Last October, my colleague Cllr Charles Margetts highlighted this problem and asked for an update on what the Council is doing to make sure this extra provision is needed. The Executive Member, Cllr Prue Bray, repeatedly said that she was committed to the project, but no tangible improvements seem to have been made and no significant action taken.
Building work is a long way off.
The lack of progress means that temporary classrooms may be needed.
Clearly, the school and its pupils deserve better, but this lack of progress also has an impact on the cost of the expansion, with high inflation meaning the longer the Council waits, the more expensive the project is becoming. This inactivity does nothing to improve the chances of our young people and will only add to the burden on teachers if they are forced to make do with temporary classrooms.
The previous Conservative administration recognised the need for adaptation and new ways of working.
We met the challenges of increased demand, and planned for, and implemented change. We took decisive action.
Unfortunately, the Lib Dem Coalition administration offers talk and empty slogans. Sadly, it is our children who will be let down.
Cllr Graham Howe is a Conservative ward member for Remenham, Wargrave and Ruscombe on Wokingham Borough Council
