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Whitby’s Town Mayor has reacted angrily to news that the governing body of the Whitby Secondary Partnership has declined the town council’s invitation to address its March meeting, as part of the consultation on the secondary schools merger plan.

Cllr Linda Wild said: “I am hugely disappointed that the governors are not coming to the town council meeting on March 7 to set out their rationale for amalgamating Whitby’s secondary schools and closing the Eskdale site, despite being invited in January.

“Whatever they think they want to do, and whatever justification they believe they have for their decision, it is wrong that they are not prepared to account for themselves in the forum of Whitby’s local council.

“They have embarked on a hasty and perfunctory exercise with North Yorkshire County Council to push this through.

Whitby's Eskdale School, which may close in 2024, and inset, Whitby Mayor Cllr Linda Wild.

"There is real concern among parents and the wider community.

Cllr Wild said that two parents had already requested to speak to the council to share their concerns.

"I think more will have hoped to hear at our meeting, first hand, what the governing body has to say for itself.

"They need to be doing more than the bare minimum, box-ticking exercise to say they have consulted,” she said.

"The approach falls a long way short of the government’s own guidance on how school closure and amalgamation proposals should be progressed.”

However, the governing body now says: “An offer to meet with members of Whitby Town Council, including the Mayor, has been made from the Governing Body of The Whitby Secondary Partnership to discuss the proposal and consultation.

“As part of the consultation process for the amalgamation of the two schools, the Whitby Secondary Partnership will be presenting and answering questions at two public consultation meetings in the town on Wednesday March 8 at Whitby Pavilion, at 12.30pm and 6.30pm."

Cllr Wild said in an earlier email to the town council, Jamie Henshaw, Executive Head Teacher of the Whitby Secondary Partnership, had referred to the March 8 meetings and added that after discussion with governing body members and local authority officers, members of the governing body would not be able to attend the council meeting on March 7 due to preparing for the public meeting.

Visit https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/proposal-amalgamate-caedmon-college-whitby-and-eskdale-school-1-september-2024 for further information.

The consultation runs until the end of March.

Whitby Mayor's fury as school governing body declines to discuss schools merger plan at council meeting