Leeds Council told to apologise over 'humiliation' after last-minute U-turn on north Leeds school closure

Councillor Andrew Carter welcomed the Labour administration’s decision to keep Queensway Primary School in Yeadon open, two months after touting the prospect of shutting it.

But he branded the move a “humiliation” for those in charge and a “screeching, u-turn” at an executive board meeting on Wednesday. Last week, Labour councillors voted down motions from opposition members, who’d called for the process to be paused so that concerns raised by upset parents and staff could be addressed. But on Wednesday, the council’s leadership withdrew a paper which would have progressed the case to close the school onto the next stage, saying it had “listened to the strength of feeling” over the issue.

Speaking to the council’s executive member for schools, Coun Jonathan Pryor, Councillor Carter asked: “Will you apologise to the staff, parents and pupils of Queensway Primary School for not withdrawing the recommendations at council on Wednesday? It would have saved some level of anguish. It was perfectly obvious to most people that mistakes had been made.”

Councillor Carter said parents and staff had put forward a “very, very persuasive case” to keep the school open. He told Labour members: “That case was there last Wednesday. It was there before last Wednesday and then you have to wait until the humiliation of last Wednesday to now get to here and withdraw this paper. Sometimes U-turns are a good thing aren’t they? You’re making a massive, screeching one, albeit late in the day.”

But in response, Councillor Pryor attacked the Conservative government’s record on schools funding, which he said had seen £1.7m pulled from Queensway since 2010. He also warned the decision to keep the school open would mean “difficult” choices being made in the coming years, as education bosses try to tackle a massive shortage in the number of school-aged pupils in the area.

That shortage was the reason the council had first explored closing Queensway. Other schools in the surrounding area could now again be asked to reduce the number of pupils they take in every year, even though they’ve previously been reluctant to do so for fear of losing money.

Councillor Pryor told Councillor Carter: “I won’t take any lectures about what parties have done to schools when your party has a shameful record of funding for schools. I’d welcome you to come and speak to any of the headteachers anywhere in Leeds and justify those gargantuan cuts across the board. I’m not sure you’d dare. I’m pleased we’re withdrawing this paper. No-one comes into politics to close schools. But we shouldn’t pretend this was a choice between an obvious, easy answer and something more difficult.”

The Labour councillor for Guiseley and Rawdon, Eleanor Thomson, also welcomed the news. She’d voted in favour of her party’s motion defending its position over Queensway at last week’s full council meeting, having earlier backed calls for an apology from senior leaders. She said: “I’m absolutely delighted.

“The key thing for me is that people’s voices are heard and the consultation was listened to above all else. It shows to the children and parents how important their voices are and to the staff too, who’ve worked really hard during all of this. It’s a big relief for everyone. It’s time to celebrate and reflect now and then we have to look at the bigger picture.”

Around 40 pupils have been pulled out of Queensway since September, when the primary was first put at risk of closure.

But Liberal Democrat councillor for Otley and Yeadon, Ryk Downes, backed the school to flourish now that its future is secure. Councillor Downes, who had called for the school to be saved, said: “I think people can look at Queensway with confidence now. The staff are there, the potential is there and the community is there. I totally understand why parents previously might have pulled their children out of the school, or not gone there, but hopefully that can change now.”