Whitby Town Council calls for governors to push back consultation deadline on Eskdale and Caedmon merger plan

Town clerk Michael King has today (Mar 28) emailed the Governing Body of the Schools’ Federation on behalf of the Town Mayor Linda Wild and Whitby Town Council to formally request the extension of the consultation period.

This has been done “on the grounds that the governing body has ignored repeated requests to attend a meeting of the town council, which is the proper way in which the town council should be engaged as a core consultee in this process,” the email said.

“Until such time as the Governing Body is prepared to meet with the town council, Whitby Town Council will not recognise the legitimacy of this process and will maintain that position publicly.”

The governors announced their proposals to merge the two schools back in January, announcing it in a letter to parents and carers, sparking a backlash as protestors gathered at the Eskdale School gates to voice their objections.

Consultation meetings were recently held at Whitby Pavilion where residents and members of the Keep Choice in Whitby and Save Eskdale campaign group voiced their anger, school children spoke of current problems including lack of food and one ex-school governor suggested the decision on the schools’ future should be made by an independent inspector and not North Yorkshire Council.

Cllr Wild said it was decided after the recent Town Assembly to hold an extraordinary general meeting and invite the governors to attend

"We saw the angst of the parents and it’s completely real to them, they’re frustrated and scared, you can see it,” she said.

"They’re not fighting because they want to have a fight, they’re thinking about their kids.

"There was a lack of confidence in the governors [at the Town Assembly] and concerns about the schools.”

The merger, if approved, would take effect from summer 2024.

The council executive will then consider its response on April 18 and a further four-week consultation could then run from April 27 to May 25, with the final decision due on June 20.

The governing body has been approached for comment.