Councillors say parents should be given compensation if Whitby schools merger goes ahead

Members of the Scarborough and Whitby Area Constituency Committee have passed a motion stating that if the proposed amalgamation of Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School does happen, parents should receive financial support to assist with the transition.

At the meeting on Friday, March 24, councillors heard from the organisers of a public petition titled “Save Eskdale School” which had received 2,468 signatures.

A combination of “low pupil numbers, significant financial challenges at both schools and an imperative to give the best education and curriculum to the young people of Whitby” has led to the consultation on the schools being merged.

Cllr Neil Swannick, who represents Whitby’s Streonshalh ward on North Yorkshire County Council, proposed that parents affected by the potential amalgamation be compensated by the Local Education Authority if the amalgamation takes place.

Cllr Swannick said that the LEA should “allocate funding to put in place support measures, including financial support for costs such as uniforms to assist parents and students during the transition”.

However, some councillors raised concerns that it was “premature” to pass a motion when a decision on the amalgamation is yet to be made.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Heather Phillips said: “Can we maybe have this debate further along when the executive has managed to come to a conclusion?

“I think that might be a better timing… this is too early.”

Also speaking at the meeting, Cllr Subash Sharma said: “There are very many small schools in North Yorkshire and I don’t see why we can’t support two small schools that have 400-450 pupils.

“It seems that we have one set of rules for the coast and another set of rules for the rural areas.”

He added: “These are very important schools for the community, they have an immense amount of support and we have to fund them. It seems like the coast is always there to find savings.”

An officer from North Yorkshire County Council replied, stating that rural areas have also been affected by school closures and mergers and said that “it is not the local authority that decides on pupil funding”.

The officer said: “Unfortunately, and with great regret, the council has had to close 14 primary schools over the last few years, including small schools in North Yorkshire, but we still have 50 schools with fewer than 50 children.”

It was initially proposed that Caedmon College Whitby and Eskdale School amalgamate from September 2023, however, the Governing Board of the Whitby Secondary Partnership requested that NYCC consult on the amalgamation taking place from September 2024.