`Poll parents on plans for academy'
Dec 8 2006 By Chloe Griffiths, The Journal
A teaching union is urging council bosses to hold a referendum on a controversial city academy before considering approval.
The NASUWT has been leading a campaign against opening an academy in Blyth, sponsored by car magnate Sir Peter Vardy.
Sir Peter wants to use £2m from his Emmanuel Schools Foundation fund to access a further £23.5m from Government to create an academy.
But the proposals are opposed over fears that they will divide the community and concerns over the foundation's link with creationist theories.
Union leaders, parents and councillors have formed an anti-academy group and NASUWT Northumberland representative Geoff Holmes said: "We are going to call for a ballot of all parents to be held.
"This is a very important decision for the people of Blyth, so they should be allowed to give their say."
But a council spokeswoman said: "Northumberland County Council has done extensive consultation in Blyth, giving every parent the opportunity to have their say on the proposed changes.
"Meetings have been held in each school in Blyth and information letters have been sent out. When the consultation period finishes later in December all the results will be analysed and the feedback received will be shared and discussed."
Mr Vardy said yesterday the foundation had received a wealth of support from the community and offered parents the opportunity to look round one of his other schools in Gateshead, Middlesbrough or Doncaster.
He said: "Parents have been consulted widely ... and can still make their views known."
Union leaders have written to all 67 Northumberland County Councillors voicing their "deep concerns".
The group are holding a public meeting tonight with the support of local MP Ronnie Campbell, Blyth Community College head of year Pam Brown and Coun Deirdre Campbell, who will all be speaking.
A petition of nearly 2,000 names has been raised against the academy, but at a previous public meeting Mr Vardy said he was confident he would get the go-ahead and that he was fed up of reports that his schools were "indoctrination centres".
* The meeting is at Briardale Community Centre, Briardale Road, Cowpen Estate, Blyth, at 6pm.
