David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con)
I rise to present a petition on behalf of my constituents in Skerton. Lancashire county council is closing Skerton community high school in my constituency against the wishes of the wider community and, most importantly, the best interests of the students who attend the school. In the first stage of the consultation, more than 99% of responses were against the closure of the school, but Lancashire county council still proceeded with the next stage of closing the school. This petition urges Lancashire county council to listen to the residents of Skerton and to put the children’s best interests at the heart of this decision. I urge the House to support the people of Skerton in my community.
Following is the full text of the petition:
[The Petition of the community surrounding Skerton Community High School,
Declares that the Petitioners believe that Lancashire County Council have not listened to their concerns for the schools closure in the initial round of consultation and that the County Council should not have perused the closure of the school any further.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to take steps to support the School in its bid to remain open.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.]
[P001320]
Tom Blenkinsop (Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland) (Lab)
The petitioners include my hon. Friends the Members for Hartlepool (Mr Wright), for Middlesbrough (Andy McDonald) and for Stockton North (Alex Cunningham), who are in their places.
The petition states:
The Petition of residents of the UK,
Declares that the Petitioners believe that it is unfair that the Department for Communities and Local Government have imposed large funding reductions on a high-risk area like Cleveland when lower-risk areas in the South of England have had their central funding increased; further that the Petitioners believe that funding reductions have contributed to the 54.1% increase in total fire calls in Cleveland between 2012/13 and 2013/14; further that the Petitioners believe that it is unacceptable that the Authority’s proposed Integrated Risk Management Plan recommends the closure of Marine Fire Station and the reduction by approximately 25% of the number of the whole-time firefighters; further that the Authority and Government should take steps to protect frontline services and further that a local Petition on this issue has received over 6,000 signatures across Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees and Hartlepool.
The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Department for Communities and Local Government to provide a fairer funding settlement that gives due consideration to deprivation and risk, further that the House of Commons urges the Government to encourage Cleveland Fire Authority to reallocate planned capital expenditure to the preservation of frontline services, and further that the House of Commons urges the Cabinet Office, Department for Communities and Local Government and Cleveland Fire Authority not to further expend on unwanted and high-risk proposals to spin out fire brigades as public service mutuals.
And the Petitioners remain, etc.
[P001321]