Island school campaigners call for councillor to resign

A campaign group, which spent months fighting to save an Isle of Wight primary school, is calling for a local councillor to step down from representing the ward.

Saving Brading School has called for former council cabinet member Jonathan Bacon to resign as their Brading County Hall representative after "not speaking" for the town during the schools closure process.

The group's intervention comes after the councillor, who led the closure programme, resigned from his cabinet post on Thursday.

In a statement, Mr Bacon said he did not intend to resign as ward councillor, adding that it was "unfortunate" the Brading school situation "seems to have turned into a personal vendetta".

He previously said he was "exasperated" over his colleagues' vote to close two primary schools but keep three open.

He resigned just before a meeting in which Isle of Wight Council's cabinet voted to shut Arreton St George's CE and Cowes Primary.

However, councillors voted to save Brading CE, Oakfield CE and Wroxall primary schools.

Mr Bacon described the council's closure plans as "fundamentally linked to trying to improve educational standards on the island".

A spokesperson for Save Brading School said: "Obviously we are very happy that this process, which has been riddled with problems from the start, has ended for Brading.

"Our thoughts are with the families and staff of Arreton and Cowed, who are still living this nightmare.

"With regards to the resignation from cabinet of Jonathan Bacon, it is time he steps down from his position as ward councillor, after not speaking for Brading in this process."

Reacting to calls for his resignation as ward councillor, Mr Bacon told the BBC: "Unfortunately, what happened last week has done nothing to address the problems the Island education system is facing.

"A new process will now be required and, by the time it can take effect, there will need to be a far more significant round of closures."

The councillor said "nothing was solved" by the vote on Thursday and "a greater problem has been created" raising concerns "all primary schools are now under threat again".

Mr Bacon added: "Throughout this process, things like the 'demand' from the Brading group, have become more about short-term political gain and point scoring rather than having regard to our children's futures."

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