Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Letter to the Daily Echo: Get Behind the New Lord's Hill Academy

Dear Sir

Unlike Labour’s Don Thomas I see the rebuild of the Lord’s Hill Academy as a positive thing for the local community.

The decision to rebuild the school at 5 Acre Field was taken after a lengthy consultation several years ago and received support from all three political parties and the majority of parents. Parents told the city council that they wanted a third, neutral site, so that it was seen that neither Millbrook School nor Oaklands School was taking over the other.

The Conservatives have secured £17m for a rebuild of the Academy. This is money that Labour and the Lib Dems would have turned down.

At 5 Acre Field the school will be located next to a number of sports clubs, including a rugby club, football club and cricket club.

This will benefit the clubs as they will be able to attract new members, and will be good for the school as it will have more opportunities to promote sport amongst local children. The Academy is already working well in partnership with Solent University delivering after schools sports activities.

The Conservatives have allocated money to improve 5 Acre Field, including money to drain the pitches. The safety of children is paramount and so money has been set aside to provide to provide crossings or to improve the nearby underpasses. In total over a million pounds will be spent improving the area around the new school.

The Lord’s Hill Academy has been open less than a year. It has a great future and the new facilities will be a boost to the local community. The pupil numbers entering the Academy for the first time are healthy. The head teacher Ian Golding is doing a superb job.

I would urge Don Thomas to put aside his political prejudices and get behind the new school.

Yours faithfully

Cllr Jeremy Moulton

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