Unite Cardiff schools campaigns

OPPOSITION FROM angry parents is hitting Cardiff's Liberal-controlled council's school closures programme. Over 200 people packed out a recent meeting to tell the council that its "investment plan" for the east of Cardiff is an asset-stripping exercise, designed to demolish schools and sell off as much public land as possible.

Ross Saunders

Speakers lambasted the council and its fake consultation process, set to end in late December. Despite a petition of nearly 9,000 names circulating against the plan, the council claims that the opposition it encountered didn't represent the views of the whole community.

People can see they have to get organised in their own campaigns and protests to stop the council forcing the plan through. In the west of Cardiff too, Cwrt-yr-Ala primary school has pledged to fight cutbacks that would push out half the local children who currently attend it.

Around 500 parents, children, teachers and other school workers from Lansdowne primary school in Canton marched and disrupted a council meeting with their home-made protest songs and chants.

One protester said "Our school hasn't got surplus places, it's got smaller class sizes!" and pledged to campaign for the council to withdraw the closure plan.

Crucially, the beginnings of an all-Cardiff Save Our Schools campaign are now emerging. Even if each local campaign succeeds in forcing their local councillors - facing re-election next year - to oppose cutbacks in their own backyard, they will lose unless they can pressure the other fifty-odd councillors to also oppose them.

Co-ordinated, united action between Lansdowne, Llanrumney, Llanedeyrn and the others could force the council to drop the closures plan completely, thus saving every school threatened.