Liberal Democrats at County Hall have condemned the failure of the county council to provide a proper support service for parents and children affected by strikes this week.

Lib Dem Leader Chris White said: ‘As happened two years earlier with snow closures the Tories have failed to realise how seriously parents and children will be impacted by random closures. There seem to be no plans to put school closures on the county’s website. Parents with work responsibilities will thus have little idea when they drop their children at school whether the school is open and whether they might need to leave work in order to pick them up. This is unacceptable to them and unacceptable to their employers.

‘County must set up a proper webpage immediately and check it is fully up to date.’

Chris also criticised Education Secretary Michael Gove: ‘Instead of writing silly letters to heads about employing parents as strike breakers, he should have re-entered the real world and understood what actions really were required by schools and local authorities.’

Figures show that so far around fifty schools will be affected (see attached) but that list could easily change (and anyway appears incomplete from our sources).

Chris added: ‘Yet again, Labour’s legacy has come home to rosst: their failure to deal with public spending and tackle “too difficult” issues like public sector pay and pensions has left a legacy of chaos.’

ENDS

Contacts: Chris White 07850 843623