An open letter to Kirsty Williams

HERE is an open letter I would write to Kirsty Williams, the new Secretary for Education:

Dear Kirsty Williams, muted congratulations on your appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Minister for Education.

Muted, because there will be very obvious parallels drawn between the connivance of Nick Clegg and others in the national Liberal Democrats in 2010 upholding the vile Conservative government in the manner that he did; and now you, first in supporting Carwyn Jones as elected First Minister and now joining his party. One hopes personal integrity has not given way to personal vanity.

You can assuage those doubts by taking immediate and robust action to halt the potentially disastrous measures being undertaken by Rhondda Cynon Taf council in implementing a wholly disastrous schools amalgamation/closure programme, the consequences of which have a potential to be horrific for our school children.

You will doubtless be aware of this programme of school closures and the intended use of existing buildings for schools for three to 16-year-olds or three to 19-year-olds; you will also be aware of the proposals to scrap education at three, so quite where the three-16 or 19 years comes from, remains as yet unanswered.

You will also be aware of the widespread dissent and opposition that those affected have voiced, both vociferously and cogently.

You will have been made aware that RCT held consultation meetings, that these were well attended by the public, and that persuasive and logical opposition to these plans was raised, and the unworkability of the plans was made known to the political figures proposing them. That the politicians either ignored or never considered this opposition, is evident in that the proposals have been put into place and we are in the process of implementing them.

What is perhaps not quite so well known is RCT has advertised for school governors to be appointed to these new establishments and the calibre of people putting themselves forward for consideration has been impressive.

Many of these have been rejected.

Finally Kirsty, you will be all too aware of how lowly academic achievement is within RCT.

We currently have one comprehensive in “special measures”, which upon review, was considered not to have improved sufficiently, to warrant removal from this status.

You will also be aware of the economic situation within RCT and how severely these proposals will impact upon parents who are being asked to walk their five-year-olds vast distances through all manner of inhospitable climate, often in poorly, or indeed unlit roads; many of which do not benefit from the presence of a footpath.

Welcome to your new brief, solve this matter and you will go a long way to cementing your place as a politician with integrity.