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Former journalist Phil Dilks is chairman of Deeping St James Parish Council in south Lincs. Served 8 years (2001-09) on Lincolnshire County Council (Labour lead on Education and Children's Services). Former member Lincolnshire Police Authority (2002-09). Member of Royal Anglian Association (former TA CSM), Co-operative Party, and GMB trade union. Promoted by Phil Dilks, DSJ, PE6 8HD. A personal view and not that of any organisation of which I am a member or associated.
14 comments:
Thanks to the taxpayer more like. Unless the Labour Party is buying this out of private funds. Have they sold THAT many peerages?!
Indeed. Given that Phil makes a big thing about fighting for ratepayers on issues of education you'd think he'd credit the taxpayer a little on this one.
Fingers crossed it won't be another one of this Labour Government's special schools.
i certainly credit voters with having the good sense in the past three general elections to elect a Government that believes in investing taxpayers money in education, rather than keeping millions on the dole.
Out of interest, how long do you have in mind when you say "a generation" and for how long has Lincolnshire needed such a school?
And if the need has only recently arisen, why does this government (and now, apparently, only those who voted for it (and presumably not those who vote for an MP but instead vote for a government)) get the credit?
dave:
When i went to school (a couple of generations ago), a generation was reckoned to be about 25 years.
how long has lincolnshire needed such a school?
well, dave, how long's a piece of string...?
i'm glad for the sake of our children and those who teach them, that the Labour Government first tackled the shortage of teachers and scandal of leaking roofs and outside toilets after 18 years (almost a generation) of schools being starved of cash...
And surely it's good news that now the Government are heavily investing (our money) in Building Schools for the Future, which will rebuild or modernise every secondary school in the UK within the next decade or so (and certainly well within the current generation).
The brand new secondary school for Lincolnshire was to have been in the BSF programme, but the building work has been brought forward thanks to a surprise £12 million Government grant.
IMHO, the person who deserves the credit is Gordon Brown for delivering a stable, thriving economy over the past decade.
It's surely welcome that today more of our money is spent to educate our nation's children than on unemployment benefits, as happened under the boom'n'bust Tories.
I take it then, from your "piece of string" remark, that Lincolnshire has needed that school for the best part of a generation then?
So why has it taken 10 years to get it done?
Seriously, I'm not interested in the party political broadcast that sings the praises, hides the problems and avoids the questions, I'm interested in why you think it's a great thing that this government has made the taxpayers of Lincolnshire wait 10 years for a school that, by your own admission, they've badly needed for all that time.
Dave Pearson said:
"Seriously, I'm not interested in the party political broadcast that sings the praises, hides the problems and avoids the questions."
Well you are on the wrong website then mate. That is what Phil is good at.
Dave:
Why has it taken ten years for a new school for Lincolnshire...you ask...
It's all about priorities.
First Gordon had to sort the economy, pay off the national debt, cut unemployment, then start investing the savings in schools, hospitals and fighting crime.
The biggest ever hospital building programme, thousands of extra teachers, doctors, nurses, and police...
Many new schools and colleges already built - i was at the brand new Darlington College the other day and at the new Derby College the week before.
Now, a new educational village for Lincolnshire...
That still doesn't really answer the question Phil. Your "first in a generation" appears to be written to suggest that it's been badly lacking for such a long time and that the current government have come to the rescue of the people of Lincolnshire after a generation of neglect.
So why the wait of 10 years? Yes, I know, you've listed all the various priorities (although you did appear to forget to list all the money spent invading a country or two, for reasons good and bad), but that still doesn't tell me why Lincolnshire was such a low priority.
If, as you've suggested, a new school has been needed for that whole generation, why was Lincolnshire made to wait so long by this government?
dave:
as i've tried to say, it's all relative.
what do we mean by "needed".
in times past, or in some other countries today, it might well be judged that lincolnshire is well served and doesn't actually "need" a new school...
but i'm pleased we're getting one - and also pleased that we're in line to have all our secondary schools modernised or totally rebuilt...
spending per pupil has doubled over the past ten years, but i also believe we "need" to invest even more.
Labour has built more than 100 new hospitals in the past ten years but we "need" to build even more...
Labour has cut overall crime, but there's much more to do...
And here in Lincolnshire, as well as the first new secondary school on the way, millions has been spent on school improvements over the past ten years...
Many more teachers, infant class sizes cut, standards rising...
So improving the education of Lincolnshire children has in fact been a high priority and long may it continue to be so...
My apologies if I wasn't clear: I'm talking about Lincolnshire, UK, for a period spanning 1997 and 2007.
me too Dave.
the very same. the one that's here. in the East Midlands. not in the East...
but not including North Lincs or North East Lincs.
they're in yorkshire and humberside.
of course.
So why bother with "in times past, or in some other countries today"?
I take it that this government isn't building us this school just for the sake of it, right? I take it that this government is building us this school because there's a need for it, right?
You do agree that this government wouldn't be building a school for which there is no need?
So, it's a simple question: you said it's the first such school in "more than a generation", which would seem to suggest that it's a very significant event. So, to fully appreciate the enormity of what this government is going, I'm simply asking how long it's been needed, I'm wondering how long this government, and any previous one, have kept the people who it will serve waiting, and why.
Surely you can see that that's a reasonable question that would arise from reading your announcement?
A reasonble question.
I'll save you the bother. Phil won't answer it.
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