Megan Woods
Associate Education Spokesperson

12 June 2014

Please listen to community and council, Hekia

Labour applauds Christchurch City Council’s decision today to stand up to the Education Minister and back Phillipstown School’s request for a two year reprieve from closure, Labour’s Associate Education spokesperson Megan Woods says.

“In April Hekia Parata ploughed on with her decision to merge the school even after the courts overruled her initial botched process. The school’s fate had been decided without any real evidence it was best for the community, teachers, parents or students.

“In the last round of consultation, Phillipstown asked for a two-year reprieve to allow the school to remain open and for the Government to review its decision once it had looked at population projections and other pertinent information.

“Labour has already committed to granting the school this wish. It is the fair solution.

“Let’s hope that Christchurch City Council joining the chorus of cries to keep the school open will prompt the Minister to finally listen to the local community’s wishes. The school is so important to them that they are not giving up the fight and they deserve praise for that.

“Labour believes in real consultation and involving communities in the decision-making process.

“The next Labour government will not ride rough-shod over communities as Hekia Parata has done,” Megan Woods says.

ENDS

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