Chadwell Primary. To close or not to close....

ANGRY mums, excited children and riled residents greeted councillors at Wednesday evening’s meeting of Thurrock Council.

Those councillors who braved a very public protest from residents of Chadwell St Mary had to walk the gauntlet of dozens of people protesting against plans to close the community’s primary school.

And when they arrived in the Council chamber they took part in a polarised debate when political expediency appeared to take precedent over personal opinion.

Even the Council’s solitary radical, BNP councillor Emma Colgate, failed to deliver on her pledge for change when she abstained in the vote over the future of Chadwell Primary School.

The decision has clearly been taken to close the century-old school and to their eternal shame Conservative councillors went through with the ruse of trying to justify ‘consultation.’ They ought to have had the courage of their convictions and say the school is closing. End of story.

There is no consultation. Unless there is some sort of miracle that exists outside of the scope of local education chief Rob McCulloch-Graham, Chadwell St Mary Primary School will close next year, regardless of how emotional residents get over its future.

To be fair to the man, he has little choice as he juggles red hot issues, seeking simple answers to incredibly difficult questions. He inherited a botched job and it may be too early to judge him yet.

But the big question to be answered is who is to blame? Tories at Wednesday’s meeting were keen to say it was the government’s fault because of dictatorial guidelines that have forced them up a blind alley. They have a point.

Labour were keen to say it is callous Conservatism picking on the Labour stronghold and looking at the potential of selling some valuable land to fund an increasing shortfall in their budget. They have a point.

Independent councillors Barry Palmer and John Purkiss has nothing to say but supported the Tory line. They have a point because they want to protect their own East Tilbury stronghold. As councillor Carl Morris quite rightly pointed out, who knows where the poison chalice will land next?

The BNP had the chance to make a bold statement. But scared of getting into bed with the socialists and clearly not wanting to be associated with the ‘upper class twits,’ the eloquence and quick wit councillor Emma Colgate showed in earlier debate was betrayed by her decision to abstain.

Talk about missing a golden opportunity!

In the end a Labour motion proposed by councillor Gerard Rice fell. He never had a chance of making it stick because he drafted it in political-speak rather than common sense.

His proposal said: “The ward councillors of Chadwell St Mary, councillors Marion Canovan, Tony Fish and Gerard Rice, want to register the failure of this Tory council to save the Chadwell St Mary Primary School from the proposed closure.”

That was like asking the Tory turkeys to vote for Christmas.

He had no chance, yet he played the gallery well with some clever rhetoric and emotive patter.

The trouble is much of it came from the same script he used when he pledged to fight, fight, and fight again against the closure of Stifford Clays’ Post Office.

Like the Royal Mail, circumstances meant he couldn't deliver then, and he is unlikely to be able to deliver this time. But give the man credit, he can pick the right issues.

Right is certainly what is on the side of the residents of Chadwell. They live in a closeted community, with lots of crap foisted on them, admittedly quite a bit of it of their own community's making.

But they deserve better than what they are getting.

The best option for their children may well be the closure of Chadwell Primary. It could be the fresh start they need. On the other hand, maybe they have the saving of their own school by building on the progress of recent months as they have battled the stigma of special measures.

Sadly - and it’s an increasing facet of so-called local democracy, it doesn’t look like they get what they deserve from Thurrock Council - nor the nation’s ruling Labour party. Unsurprisingly I don’t think Nick Clegg and his mates on their way home from their seaside jaunt have the answers either.

Nor, clearly does Emma Colgate and her bizarre bundle of Union Jack waving, knuckle-dragging mates. God help us if the BNP ever match intelligence with alleged patriotism.

The future of Chadwell Primary School is rightly in the balance. It might be right to keep it, it might be time for it to go.

What is clear from Wednesday’s meeting of Thurrock Council is that the decision - unless there is a rapid and unexpected change of heart from all concerned, won’t be determined by fair means.

And that leaves a foul stink about the whole process. Consultation should mean just that, with a real chance for those involved to change the outcome.

Cleary this isn't happening here and this has all the making of another PR disaster for the Tories who, despite their best intentions, bumble along from one unnecessary crisis after another.

What do you think? Please post your comments below.