Tories accused of 'exaggerating' cost of replacing our grammars

LABOUR county councillors this week rejected claims by Tory-controlled Kent County Council that doing away with its 33 grammar schools and switching to comprehensives would cost £150 million.

The Tories' claim was reported in last week's Dover Exepress, but Labour said the figure was "grossly inflated".

Joyce Esterson, Labour shadow chairman of Kent Education Committee, claimed the statement detailing- the costs was not balanced or accurate.

"Indeed the press release was solely designed to support those who wish to preserve the Eleven Plus to the disadvantage of three quarters of Kent children who are failed by this test every year," she said.

The Tories, in the press release, admitted the £150 million figure was created as a result of a desk-top exercise.

Labour said it was based on taking all 104 secondary schools (of which 33 are grammar schools) and producing 75 schools instead with each one having at least 900 pupils.

Added to this was the projected cost of ending split site schools, said the Labour statement.

"The county education development plan already includes, and will continue to include, school mergers, closures and enlargements. "It will continue to cost large sums of money into the future whether or not there is a ballot (to end selective education).

"If these large sums are removed, we are left with a much more accurate figure," said Mrs Esterson.

She said the end of selective education would result in less need for children to be bussed to school, for instance Deal boys and girls going to Dover or Sandwich grammar schools. This would save money.

'County council is using scare tactics'

STEP - Stop The Eleven Plus this week joined forces with Labour in attacking the Conservative council council's estimate of the cost of abolishing grammar schools in Kent.

Martin Frey from Appledore, on behalf of STEP accused the county council of scare tactics and claimed that by resorting to them it had already lost the argument.

Mr Frey said any change would be spread over a number of years.

"With no sound reasons to support a selective school system, they have resorted to scare tactics: the latest is the absurdly high estimate of thc cost of converting to an all-comprehensive system," said Mr Frey.

The estimate takes no account of normal developments towards fewer and larger Schools.

"It is by far the most costly of several options.

"The estimate is presented as a single-year option when any change would be spread over 10 or more years.

He said the suggested size of the alternative comprehensives at 900 pupils was too high.