The Grantham Residents Group will be hosting a discussion and information evening on a town council for Grantham. The meeting will look at the pros and cons and the process of setting up a town council.

A town council is the smallest democratically elected tier of local government, and has a range of functions which it agrees to take on from the district and county councils. Unlike Stamford, Bourne and many villages in the district, Grantham does not have a town or parish council at the current time.

 Those in favour of a town council argue that under the current arrangements the people of Grantham are not properly represented and a town council will ensure that there is a democratic voice and influence on a wide range of issues that affect the town. Opponents argue that this is just another level of buracracy and could increase the council tax

Libby Simpson, Chair of the residents group said, "The issue of whether Grantham needs a Town Council or not has been discussed in the Journal's letter pages over the last few months, so we thought it would be a good idea to give people an opportunity to find out more and make their own minds up."

The meeting is taking place on Friday 17^th April from 7-30pm at the Council Chamber on St Peter Hill. This event is part of the Residents Groups AGM and all are welcome.

NOTES

There are over 8,700 parish, town, community, neighbourhood and village councils representing around 16 million people across England. They form the most local level of government and cover many rural and urban areas. Since 1997 around 200 new local councils have been created including councils in some of our larger cities such as Birmingham, Leeds and Newcastle.

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 devolved the power to take decisions on matters such as the creation of parish councils to principal authorities (a district, borough or unitary council). On receipt of a petition of 10% of the population the principal authority is obliged to carry out a community governance review involving a consultation with those who would be affected.

A referendum was last held in December 2002 on the question of a town council for Grantham. However, the turnout was below 10% and therefore was not regarded as valid 

Total Electorate  24,800

Turnout  644 (2.6% of the electorate)

Answer ‘Yes'  390 (61% of votes cast)

Answer ‘No'  253 (39% of votes cast)

‘Yes' as a Percentage of electorate  1.6% 

The proposal to merge Central Technology College and Grantham Church High School and form an Academy is featured in last weeks Journal. In effect, this will kill off non-selective, comprehensive education in the area.

The proposal  is part of the controversial blessing given by Tony Blair in 2007 for the Church of England to establish and run over 100 new academies. As Terry Shackleton Chair of the National Secular Society observed: "The Church of England cannot get children into church, so it is determined to bring church into school, where the children have no choice and no escape.... It is Mr Blair's final, self-indulgent gift to the religious establishment."

The Academies will be run by a company set up by the CoE Church of England Academy Services Ltd, which will work with Dioceses to set up the partnership. The Diocese of Lincoln will, in this case, be the key sponser and controlling influence in setting out the aims and objectives of the education business as well as the crucial ethos of the new Academy.

Academies are independent legal entities that are not subject to the same admissions process as local authority maintained schools and can set their own admission policies within a defined code. This allows them to select up to 10% of their pupils on the basis of ability in subjects they define as a specialism. It also enables them to set pre-entry tests to band pupils before they arrive.

The Church of England Academy Services Ltd is a at great pains to point out on its website that in developing Academies Dioceses should promote inclusion rather than focus on the issue of admissions. Indeed, it makes it clear that the Secretary of State is unlikely to give approval where admissions policies are too restrictive inclusion could be hindered. But it doesn't take too much deduction to realise that the crucial 'ethos' of the school is what matters to the Church of England and that will be an ethos based on Christian values. Have no doubt, that parents will be asked to subscribe to this ethos as condition of their child's entry into the Academy. It might not mention Christianity directly, but all the trappings of religiosity will be there. If you take exception you won't get in.

For the children and families of Grantham another stark fact emerges. Effectively, another two schools move towards a more selective approach, which coupled with the grammar schools, means that the majority of schools in Grantham will be selective in some way or other, based on testing, gender or ethos. In fact, only St Hughs remains as a truly co-educational non selective school in Grantham. What a testament to the Government's pledge in 1997 that there will be no more selection in education!