Neath Port Talbot Council says "no hidden agenda" in faith school bus row
EDUCATION chiefs have denied there is any hidden agenda behind moves to end free transport for many children attending a Catholic comprehensive school.
Neath Port Talbot Council has pointed out it is prepared to spend millions of pounds of its own money to help develop a new school on the St Joseph's Comprehensive School site in Port Talbot.
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Neath Port Talbot Council
The council today starts consulting on whether to stop paying for transport for pupils living more than two or three miles from a voluntary aided (Catholic or Church in Wales) school if there is a mainstream school nearer their home.
This has been heavily criticised by the head teacher of St Joseph's, the county's largest voluntary aided school and its sole Catholic secondary.
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Eugene Scourfield claimed it "smacked of discrimination on religious grounds".
Meanwhile, cabinet scrutiny member Linet Purcell said the idea would regarded with horror by anyone who cared about the purpose and function of faith schools.
Effect
Councillor Lella James also referred to the new super- school, which the authority is proposing to build in Baglan to replace Sandfields, Glan Afan and Cwrt Sart comprehensive schools.
She pointed to an officers' report that acknowledged the effect of the transport changes at voluntary-aided schools could be to push pupil numbers up at mainstream schools.
"Is it (the proposed bus changes) because you are concerned about the new super-school — that there wouldn't be enough pupils?" she asked.
"I'm wondering if there's something else behind this.
"It's the only Catholic comprehensive school in Neath Port Talbot.
"Children from Neath want to go there. I don't think it should be penalised."
Head of resources and commissioning Andrew Thomas said: "There isn't anything hidden.
"There is no hidden agenda with the proposals around the super-school.
"We are in proposals with the diocese about building a new St Joseph's school and we have reached agreement in principle."
"We are in discussions about us spending millions of pounds of council money to provide sustainable Catholic education within the county," he added.
4 Comments
by Jiffy
Monday, January 28 2013, 6:48PM
“Would people be just as happy to provide free transport to any 'faith' school, in particular one attended by the children of immigrants?
I'm surprised one of the persons interviewed hasn't mentioned she is a teacher at a catholic school.”
by Philosoraptor
Monday, January 28 2013, 11:15AM
“I see no reason why any faith school should receive public funding in any way, shape or form. Religion and state should be seperate, never to mix. If these faith schools really did have faith, then they would "know" that their God would make sure they were ok.”
by RichardCorso
Monday, January 28 2013, 10:16AM
“Wasn't there some deal made years ago that free transport was to be provided to the Catholic school on the basis that the "Church" maintained the school not the local authority?”
by JohnnyDale
Monday, January 28 2013, 7:47AM
“Eugene Scourfield claimed it "smacked of discrimination on religious grounds".
No Mr Scourfield, what absolutely IS discrimination on religious grounds is the indefensible current situation where a child living near a normal school whose parents decide to send them to a so called "faith" school is eligible for a transport subsidy, but another child living next to the "faith" school whose parents decide to send them to the normal school is not.”