I decided to write to Richard Leese. He was quite quick to respond:
Dear Sir Richard,
I must register my utter dismay at your comments regarding closure of
schools during this cold snap.
I entirely agree with you that the school closures are "unnecessary".
The way it seems to me is, if Manchester City Council had made proper
provision for the winter weather, most schools would not have needed
to shut this week at all. But unfortunately no effort has been made to
grit many of the side roads and pavements across the city, side roads
and pavements that are used by parents, teachers and children to get
to school every day.
Not all schools are just off the M60. Indeed, not everybody drives to
school. Many take public transport and others, believe it or not, must
walk. When I was a secondary school student, I had to walk two miles
to school. I didn't have a parent who could drive me and there was no
bus route. Indeed, I was one of probably hundreds who had a couple of
miles to walk every day. That's not much of a distance on a sunny day.
But when you have to walk over thick snow, thick snow that has been
compacted and hardened by -12 overnight temperatures in to an
inch-and-a-half of solid ice, the picture is different. When you have
that ice as your pavement the entire way to school, because no effort
has been made to grit it, the welfare situation looks rather perilous
indeed.
You say that schools shouldn't shut unless there are "exceptional
circumstances". Well, the exceptional circumstance is this: the City
Council has failed to ensure the safety of staff and students on their
journey to school. It seems wise for you to remember that it is the
headteacher, and not the local authority, who decides whether a school
is open or closed. With the headteacher's duty of care in mind, I find
it impossible to fault their reasoning. It is not safe to go to
school.
Kind regards,
Eric Frobisher
---
In his response Sir Richard said that, as libraries, leisure centres and council offices were open, there is no reason for schools in the same areas to be shut. He also pointed out that, as some schools are closed "a few hundred yards" away from an open school, there is no reason why they shouldn't both be open.
---
Dear Sir Richard,
The opening of libraries and leisure centres only obliges the staff to
be there. When a school opens, they must take in to account the
travelling arrangements of hundreds - often thousands - of children
who may have all sorts of difficulties getting from one place to
another.
I can assure you that, where I am, a few hundred yards makes a massive
amount of difference. A school next to a bus stop on a busy main road
is easily accessible. However, a school a hundred yards down an
ungritted street with no public transport access is a hazard to get
to. I know, I live right by a primary school that is down a busy yet
ungritted street and it is obvious to see why it is closed. You are
more than welcome to come join me at Heald Place Primary school and
assess the situation yourself.
Yours,
Eric Frobisher
---
I think this makes the point quite clearly. I'm expect that the first reply was a stock response, and I'm not expecting anything more.
Dear Sir Richard,
I must register my utter dismay at your comments regarding closure of
schools during this cold snap.
I entirely agree with you that the school closures are "unnecessary".
The way it seems to me is, if Manchester City Council had made proper
provision for the winter weather, most schools would not have needed
to shut this week at all. But unfortunately no effort has been made to
grit many of the side roads and pavements across the city, side roads
and pavements that are used by parents, teachers and children to get
to school every day.
Not all schools are just off the M60. Indeed, not everybody drives to
school. Many take public transport and others, believe it or not, must
walk. When I was a secondary school student, I had to walk two miles
to school. I didn't have a parent who could drive me and there was no
bus route. Indeed, I was one of probably hundreds who had a couple of
miles to walk every day. That's not much of a distance on a sunny day.
But when you have to walk over thick snow, thick snow that has been
compacted and hardened by -12 overnight temperatures in to an
inch-and-a-half of solid ice, the picture is different. When you have
that ice as your pavement the entire way to school, because no effort
has been made to grit it, the welfare situation looks rather perilous
indeed.
You say that schools shouldn't shut unless there are "exceptional
circumstances". Well, the exceptional circumstance is this: the City
Council has failed to ensure the safety of staff and students on their
journey to school. It seems wise for you to remember that it is the
headteacher, and not the local authority, who decides whether a school
is open or closed. With the headteacher's duty of care in mind, I find
it impossible to fault their reasoning. It is not safe to go to
school.
Kind regards,
Eric Frobisher
---
In his response Sir Richard said that, as libraries, leisure centres and council offices were open, there is no reason for schools in the same areas to be shut. He also pointed out that, as some schools are closed "a few hundred yards" away from an open school, there is no reason why they shouldn't both be open.
---
Dear Sir Richard,
The opening of libraries and leisure centres only obliges the staff to
be there. When a school opens, they must take in to account the
travelling arrangements of hundreds - often thousands - of children
who may have all sorts of difficulties getting from one place to
another.
I can assure you that, where I am, a few hundred yards makes a massive
amount of difference. A school next to a bus stop on a busy main road
is easily accessible. However, a school a hundred yards down an
ungritted street with no public transport access is a hazard to get
to. I know, I live right by a primary school that is down a busy yet
ungritted street and it is obvious to see why it is closed. You are
more than welcome to come join me at Heald Place Primary school and
assess the situation yourself.
Yours,
Eric Frobisher
---
I think this makes the point quite clearly. I'm expect that the first reply was a stock response, and I'm not expecting anything more.
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