Blocked! Labour and Tories block school improvement plans

12.00.00am GMT Thu 20th Mar 2008

Fenella Bowden, Gwilym Owen and Cllr. Michelle Michaelis are concerned that Labour and the Tories are holding up plans to secure the future for local schools.

Liberal Democrats in Heath & Birchgrove are deeply concerned that Labour and Tory councillors are blocking a plan that would ensure local children from the area can continue to attend their current local high schools.

Heath Lib Dems listened to the concerns of local parents that children in the Ton Yr Ywen Primary catchment area should continue to progress to Llanishen High when they move on to secondary school.

They successfully persuaded council officers to revise previous school plans and look for other ways to secure a future for Cathays High school without having to transfer children who currently go to Llanishen High.

A new plan has been drawn up by the Lib Dem council, but Labour and Conservative councillors have stopped it from progressing because they are more concerned about winning votes off each other in Whitchurch.

Councillor Michelle Michaelis said: "I have argued for a way forward to be found that means children in our area can continue to attend their local high schools.I am bitterly disappointed that this is now being threatened because Labour and the Conservatives failed to agree."

Local resident, Fenella Bowden, added: "Labour and the Tories are clearly more concerned about fighting each other than about the future of pupils in our area. Only the Liberal Democrats are fighting for Heath and Birchgrove."