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Thank you for visiting SAVE Waverley (We are not connected with Surrey County Council) email_us |
| Latest updates: | |
| PUBLIC MEETING Tuesday 13 January 2004 7:30pm at South Farnham School, Menin way, Farnham. | |
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The response to the County Council's proposed changes to
Schools Admissions Policy has been substantial across the community (you may
already be one of the several hundred people, including prominent community
figures, who are concerned about the
impact of the proposals on the local community). The proposals will impact more than just families
with children. The a public meeting on the 13 January has been call by David Munro, Farnham's County Councillor. Community pressure has ensured a senior employee of the Council will attend to answer questions. Senior figures and the press have been invited. Is it worth attending? If you are sure about the proposals and are happy that the County Council decides Schools Admissions Policy for Waverley on your behalf then your absence will give support to the County Council and its agenda. | |
| LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN | |
| Farnham residents have been writing to key people to express concern, including concern over the way in which the Council has consulted on the proposals. This is working. Click for contact details of some of the key people. Well written letters from residents carry significant weight (you may have seen examples published in the press). | |
| If
you live in Farnham, or any part of Waverley, this site is important
to you and your family. Only a small percentage of the
thousands of people who could be affected have been informed about
Government led changes being pushed through by local government to
the policy for schools admissions in Waverley. Surrey County Council have published a document - "A Consultation on Proposals to Change Our School Admission Arrangement From September 2005". This document can be found on the Councils website at www.surreycc.gov.uk/admissions. We have read this document and are concerned about what it will mean for families who access the Farnham schools and the effect on the local community. We do not believe there has been adequate consultation on changes that could have a substantial impact. A link can be found at the side of this page providing our interpretation of the proposed changes to admissions policy. This view has been formed following discussions with local families and the helpline. We are not pro- or anti-Labour, Conservative or Liberal Democrat but are ordinary tax payers who believe in openness and accountability of local government. We believe adequate consultation has not been undertaken given the significance of the proposals. Surrey County Council have stated to us that the primary reason for the changes being made is to address the problem of parents living outside the local borough who abuse the system. These parents manipulate the current sibling admission rules to get their younger children school places. This displaces other more local children, the parents of many of whom have complained. Surrey County Council's explanation to us appear to be incompatible with the potentially wide-ranging changes that are being progressed quietly behind the scenes. There may be other policy changes that could be made to address the sibling admissions problem. What you can do If you are happy to leave your family's well being in the hands of local government then you need do nothing more. You will need to trust that they have your family's best interests at heart. Please email us if you wish to link up to other members of the community who are concerned and unsure whether they will be affected. Please leave your thoughts about the adequacy of the consultation process on our message board (if enough people do this it could make a difference).
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