§ Mr. Hefferasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the fact that he received 344W notice on 22 July 1981 from the Liverpool city council of its intention to close the Croxteth comprehensive school, following its resolution of 10 February 1981, and in view of the fact that in March 1982 the authority passed a further resolution to keep the school open, he is satisfied that the procedures laid down in the Education Act 1981 and in the guidance he issued to local education authorities regarding the notice to be given of proposals for school closures were properly followed in relation to the closure of this school.
§ Sir Keith JosephLiverpool city council published proposals on 10 February 1981 to cease to maintain Croxteth and Ellergreen comprehensive schools, and to establish a new comprehensive school in the premises of Ellergreen. My decision to approve the proposals with a modified implementation date took account of all relevant factors, including the arguments of the objectors; it was conveyed to the council on 30 November 1981. The statutory procedures required by section 12 of the Education Act 1980 were correctly observed, and I took account of the extent to which the advice of circulars 2/80 and 2/81 had been followed.
My judgment was that, notwithstanding the force of points advanced by the objectors, the educational case for amalgamating the two schools was so strong as to be the overriding factor. Subsequently, the local education authority sought a timing modification as a first procedural step in re-establishing the Croxteth school. No new evidence was put forward to support this reversal of policy and I rejected the LEA's request in May 1982. The hon. Member was sent a copy of my letter of 20 August 1982 to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South (Mr. Dobson) which explained why I refused that request.