Independant Cllr Richard Kemp of the Melford division in favour of Option 3

Letter printed in the East Anglian Daily Times on 20th December 2007

It was pleasing to read the letter from SCC Cllr Patricia O'Brien, portfolio holder for children, schools and young people, giving her reassurance that school site values will have little or no impact on the eventual decisions in respect of schools and the future Educational direction of schools, served by the Clare Middle School.

Hopefully any details in respect of site values in respect of, and in particular Clare Middle School in this whole process can be confirmed under the Freedom of Information Act?

Having attended meetings at Glemsford and Hartest school in my area it is clear that the majority of those affected by the changes favour an upgraded faculty at Clare Middle School, namely option 3, which is also supported by Tim Yeo our local member of Parliament.

Despite the obvious 'loading' of other options in the 'consultation' information, it is hoped that unlike the majority of other consultation processes this one will be different and actually restore some public belief in the process by taking on board the views of parents, in any ultimate decisions.

Yours faithfully

Richard Kemp
Independent Councillor
Suffolk County Council
Melford Division

Clare is a town and deserves an upper school.

The words of Mr Ron Longland, secretary of the Clare Business Association in response to a letter printed in the Haverhill Echo last week from Mr Liam Plumbridge stating that 'a secondary school in Clare is simply not viable'.

To read both letters in full, click the following links:

http://www.haverhillecho.co.uk/letters/Upper-school-in-Clare-simply.3532837.jp
http://www.haverhillecho.co.uk/letters/Clare-is-a-town-and.3562263.jp

C.L.A.R.E members meet with MP Tim Yeo

Georgina Lovejoy, Diana Sharp, Marie Baker, Nigel Evans (Clare middle school headteacher)
MP Tim Yeo and Jim Meikle (chair of C.L.A.R.E)

Suffolk South MP Tim Yeo visits Clare middle school

MP for Suffolk South Tim Yeo whom has already shown his support for a rural secondary school in Clare visited the middle school site last Friday.

Headteacher Nigel Evans and Jim Meikle, C.L.A.R.E chairman showed Mr Yeo around the school before meeting with the C.L.A.R.E group.

Speaking to the East Anglian Daily Times, Mr Yeo said: “I am fully supportive of the idea of a new secondary school in Clare".

"I believe this would best serve the interests of the town and the surrounding villages and is clearly preferable to bussing eleven-year-old boys and girls to schools in Haverhill".

“I am delighted the county council has accepted that a new secondary school in Clare is a real possibility. “They clearly recognise the considerable merits of this proposal or they would not have seen fit to suggest it at all.

“Our task now is to make this their preferred option. And if the local community get behind the idea they have my full backing.”

You can read more of this story at:-
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/eadt/news/story.aspx?brand=EADOnline&category=News&tBrand=EADOnline&tCategory=news&itemid=IPED09%20Dec%202007%2020%3A26%3A36%3A857