MP IS PASSING THE BUCK ON ADMISSIONS FIASCO

12.00.00am GMT Tue 24th Nov 2009

Durham's Labour MP has been told to stop passing the buck on admissions for the Durham Johnston School. Instead, say local Lib Dems, she should be tackling her Government's decision to allow an unelected quango to tie the council's hands.

While the MP has asked the County Council to resolve the admissions problem, she is ignoring the fact that the Council must follow the guidance of the Schools Admissions Forum.

Carol Woods, Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesperson for Durham, said, "This Forum is yet another unelected, unaccountable quango forced on us by the Government. Rather than taking cheap shots over this important issue, our MP should be petitioning her Government to scrap this body and to hand power over these decisions back to local people.

"As it stands, the Council is bound by the decision of this Forum which refuses to even have its meetings in public. So very vital decisions that affect many families across Durham are being taken by unelected officials behind closed doors. It is unacceptable."

Nigel Martin, Lib Dem Councillor for Neville's Cross, which includes Durham Johnston said, "This is an issue which has been rumbling on for years now. The most important concern - what will best serve parents and pupils - seems to be a secondary concern to the people making the decision. It needs to be accepted that a 'one size fits all' approach is not going to work. We need a fair solution that works for each school. It's time to bring an end to the indecision and confusion.