There is an excellent letter in the Bury Free Press today suggesting a public debate on the Middle School proposals. It is from one of our new County Councillors who has pledged to fight the closing of Middle Schools. He suggest David Ruffley or Terry Waite as the chairman. It seems a good idea. At least it would get past the mock consultation that we face at the moment. What do people think? Is it a good idea? I think so.

But what will a debate really achieve? The decision has been made. All it will do is get the guy who suggested it in the newspaper! What we actually need is constructive discussion.

MiddleSchoolMum wrote:There is an excellent letter in the Bury Free Press today suggesting a public debate on the Middle School proposals. It is from one of our new County Councillors who has pledged to fight the closing of Middle Schools. He suggest David Ruffley or Terry Waite as the chairman. It seems a good idea. At least it would get past the mock consultation that we face at the moment. What do people think? Is it a good idea? I think so.

As a Suffolk County Councillor and Bury St Edmunds Town Councillor in December 2006, I asked the Bury St Edmunds Town Council to do just this. The leader of Suffolk County Council, the officers and many other, at great organisational effort by BSETC, all turned up to listen to the important debate on the future of Schools in Suffolk, prior to the vote in March 2007. It was chaired by my wife, Cllr. Rebecca Hopfensperger, Assistant Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People at SCC and Mayor of Bury St Edmunds. Of about 35,000 people who were eligable to attend, about 40 turned up.

Need I say more?

Hoffy, I went to that 'debate'. It wasn't one. It was just the Councillors telling us what they were going to do. There was no formal debate or for and against argument. It was a waste of time and by the sound of it money.

MSM - Well it appears that nothing anyone can do or say will satisfy you. The only thing that probably would satisfy you, and what you want to hear is "Ok then let's not go to two tier, let's keep everything as it is". I'm afraid that's simply not going to happen, so I'm not sure what else there is to say on this subject.

All that I want is to feel we've been listened to and that really isn't the case. A proper debate where the for and against arguments are treated equally would have helped achieve that.

Go to the meeting tonight then! I gave you Beccy's contact details on a previous post. Be part of the discussions and proposals.

How did the debate goes? Did the proposal had been approved?