'No plans' to extend schools consultation

NORTH Tyneside Council has announced there are no plans to extend a consultation on the future of numerous schools facing closure and merger. The proposals have sparked massive controversy for weeks, with parents up in arms.

- AUSTEN SHAKESPEARE

The local authority has stated in its online consultation that proposals to close Monkseaton Middle School, alongside the merger of six other primary and first schools, will not be prolonged. The consultation was launched on October 2 and is scheduled to conclude on November 13.

According to BBC coverage on October 16, the local authority said it had received and was considering a request to extend the consultation extension. The Local Democracy Reporting Service also stated that previous questions on the lengthening of the consultation went unanswered.

However, according to the updated consultation: “There are no plans to extend the pre-publication consultation period. The authority considers that the six-week consultation period is sufficient to gather views on the proposals.