Leader of Milton Keynes Council sends letter to Education Secretary requesting a full plan to reopen schools

    The Leader of Milton Keynes Council has written to the Education Secretary requesting he publish the Government's plan on reopening schools.

    The Prime Minister and Education Secretary are coming under increasing pressure to reopen schools.

    Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to confirm this week that there will be no return to the classroom after the February half-term break and Health Secretary Matt Hancock has already refused to guarantee that schools would reopen before Easter.

    Cllr Pete Marland, Leader of Milton Keynes Council, believes that schools should remain closed until staff have been given access to the vaccine

    He has since highlighted this belief in an open letter to Gavin Williamson, whilst also requesting the Government publish all scientific advice that has been given regarding school closures, and also outline the reopening plan.

    The letter is as follows...

    Dear Mr Williamson

    I am writing to you regarding the on-going closure of schools in Milton Keynes.

    I have previously written to you regarding school closures but I have not had an acknowledgement or reply. It is now being widely reported that it is unlikely that schools will reopen before March.

    I do not believe that anonymous briefings to journalists, that create uncertainty for staff and parents, are helpful in any way.

    I would assume that any decision is being made on scientific advice and guidance. However, as I am sure you are aware the continuing closure of schools, with no basis on which to expect reopening, is causing uncertainty for parents and concern for head teachers and governing bodies.

    As such I ask you to publish, in full, the advice you have been given on school closures, and what metrics you are using on which to base any decisions.

    I would also ask that you publish a full plan to reopen schools. Such a plan should include the criteria that you believe will need to be met in order to do so and the metrics on which these will be assessed, along with the scientific basis on which these have been reached. Setting a baseline to which the government is working would be massively beneficial in giving clarify to your thoughts on this important issue.

    It would then be helpful if you could indicate what the current position is in relation to this plan.

    If you are able to set out the basis on which you are making decisions and the standards that you believe need to be met to allow schools to reopen, this would enable parents and staff to have a better understanding of the issues and likely timescales involved.

    It would also provide a basis on which to rebuilt confidence of staff and parents in the safety of school settings.

    Finally, I would like to reiterate my belief that before schools reopen that all school staff, in particular from secondary schools and colleges, should be vaccinated to protect people working in very difficult circumstances.

    Until these issues are addressed, and we are provided with a scientifically based roadmap to reopening schools with clear criteria, I am unsure as to how any local authority could advise schools that reopening is safe or how any parent or member of staff could have confidence in the system.

    I look forward to your reply.

    Yours sincerely

    Cllr Peter Marland

    Leader

    Milton Keynes Council

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