Office to rent in Lewes

Lewes Forum thread

Go on, tell 'em what you think

Lewes Forum New message

St Anne's School Buildings

On 4 May 2011 at 10:12am Donna Edmunds wrote:

According to a letter currently being distributed by the Lib Dems, the St Anne's School was "mothballed by the Conservatives in 2005". What it doesn't say is why: Labour Government policy at the time was to incorporate special needs schooling into mainstream schools, making the school redundant. And causing dismay across the country, as parents of children with special needs were suddenly finding that thier childrens' needs were no longer being met.
Once again the Lib Dems have proved that they have no policies whatsoever to speak of - so resort to creating non-stories to try and tarnish the Conservatives.

On 4 May 2011 at 10:24am Merlin Milner wrote:

Leaving a perfectly good building to become in part derelict and vandalised is a very poor way to treat a public asset. This is not what I would call mothballing. Then to look at demolishing on the sly is not very professional.
These buildings could I have been used for other Council services, rented out etc.
I visited the site and came away very angry at the way in which ESCC has wasted this resource. As for closing the school in the first place I think that Donna should read up on the history of the school first rather than resorting to petty politics.

On 4 May 2011 at 12:09pm MC wrote:

Donna Edmunds said:

"as parents of children with special needs were suddenly finding that thier childrens' needs were no longer being met."

Mainstream schools have been very capable at meeting the majority of special needs. Inclusion also provides many advantages for both special needs and regular kids which are not possible when special needs kids are isolated and segregated into poorly funded and inferior "specialist" schools. (No prizes for guessing which party is historically the most responsible for the poor funding either).

Perhaps you should visit the highly regarded Learning Support and Development department at East Sussex's Peacehaven Community School before blithely chucking out misleading statements like this.

On 4 May 2011 at 12:25pm Judge wrote:

Donut Edmunds would never miss a chance for a snipe - regardless of the facts.
Dimbo!!

On 4 May 2011 at 10:57pm Matt Kent wrote:

@Merlin. It seems a bit bizarre that there is so much outrage when in fact Cllr Chartier was made well aware of the proposed closure in Feb 2005 by the Director of Childrens Services. Why has it taken over 6 years for it to become a big issue? Local LibDems and Tories have been sitting on this site for years. Its another discraceful hypocritical waste of a money and another community asset rotting until a developer builds more unaffordable housing in Lewes. Its got everything to do with politics Merlin, as Councillors are meant to communicate effectively to the people that voted for them.