The Children’s Scrutiny and Performance Panel will meet in on Thursday 20th November 2008 to hear evidence and investigate possible ways forward for Sneyd Community School. The meeting will be in public and will take place at the school in Vernon Way off Sneyd Lane at 6pm.

Yet again Willenhall North Ward councillors Ian Shires, Pete Hughes and Val Woodruff first alerted to developments at the school by the “Express and Star” who ran an article in their Walsall Edition on Thursday 13th November 2008. “Call me paranoid if you like” said Lib Dem cllr, Ian Shires, “but I think it’s more than just coincidence that we were not informed. I have raised my concerns with the Tory Leader of the Council John O’Hare and have also let my feelings be known to the Chief Executive Paul Shehan.”

On the positive side it appears that The Ormiston Trust is interested in transforming the school into an academy. Ian Cleland, the chief executive of Ormiston Education said in the Express and Star article. ”We are very committed to community education and we certainly empathise with the governors’ wish to maintain education within the local community.”

Welcoming these remarks Lib Dem cllr Pete Hughes who is a governor at the school said, “The school is very important to people in north Willenhall. Without it our kids would be sent to the far corners of the borough for their secondary education as there is insufficient room in other secondary schools within Willenhall to accommodate those displaced by a closure.”

Lib Dem cllr Ian Shires and his other ward councillor colleague Val Woodruff also pointed out the importance of Sneyd Community School to those in the north Willenhall area who use the school’s community facilities.