Southampton Schools: The Uncomfortable Truth

Will Brexit fix schools?

We have written about the failures of the Tory Government to provide sufficient school funding, class sizes increasing and pressures being put on school budgets.

We have written about the failures of the Labour Council to provide sufficient school funding, and their removal of funding from schools that they had previously promised.

Sadly like many things, it's yet another case of Labour or Tory, same old story.

Southampton Independents try to be balanced, including in our criticism. We owe it to Southampton's parents and pupils to get to the bottom of the reasons for problems in our schools.

That's because Southampton's pupils deserve the best education possible.

Below is a graph of the number of Year R (Reception) places in Southampton from 2007 to 2016. The source of the data is Southampton City Council.

It shows that the number of places has increased by 46% during a decade.

How can school funding ever keep pace with this massive increase?

The Tories claim that they are putting in more money than ever. But it still isn't enough, because the number of pupils has increased so much.

Is it due to mass immigration?

Is it due to an increase in birth rates in our country?

Is it solely due to Eastern European immigration since 2004?

Labour failed to predict the numbers of migrants, failed to stem mass immigration, and then the Tories and Lib Dems also failed to deal with it. It's been going on for 13 years.

You can see in the graph that the number of "White British" pupils has increased, as well as those who are of "White Other" ethnicity.

If these figures from the Council are correct, it appears that the birth rate has increased overall and not just for Eastern European migrants. But the data could be inaccurate.

If it is accurate, you can see that the number of "White Other" pupils has increased by a massive 318%, whereas the number of "White British" pupils has increased by one-tenth of that, 27%. However, because the "White British" pupils are already a much larger group, there has still been a substantial increase of 432 pupils, whereas the increase of "White Other" has been fewer pupils, 296.

In any case, will Brexit mean that all of these children will leave the UK? It is unlikely. And people who are committed to our country should be able to stay.

A solution needs to be found. It is imperative that the constant and massive flow of new people into our country, so-called net migration, needs to be controlled and reduced. Our schools can't cope.

Labour's Wilted Rose

Andrew Pope, our candidate to be the next MP for Southampton Test, says:

"Immigration needs to be controlled if Southampton is going to get a grip on class sizes and the funding crisis. It isn't an opinion. It is a simple fact. 

All of this time, Alan Whitehead has been the Labour MP for Southampton Test. What has he done about it? Very little and if he has done anything, the schools are still struggling.

People tell us that it is time for Alan Whitehead to go. He has had plenty of opportunities to fix Southampton's schools. But he has flunked the examination over 20 years. Alan Whitehead even voted against Brexit. How is that going to fix our schools? 

The Tory candidate Paul Holmes says he was Cabinet Member for schools, back at the beginning of this decade. Did he fix the crisis? No. Where has he been since then? In London.

Please vote for me to replace Alan Whitehead and be your Southampton Independents MP. I will get to the bottom of the schools problems and fight effectively to sort them out."

We ask you to please Vote Andrew Pope Southampton Independents. He will listen to you. He will work for you. He will stand up for you on schools.

Southampton Schools: More Labour Lies

Labour's wilted rose

Southampton Independents know the history of the Labour Party and the unions.

The Labour Party and the unions were once honourable.

The Labour Party and the unions once stood up for working people.

The Labour Party and the unions fought for the rights of working people.

But they lost their way.

Southampton Independents are not anti-union. But we are against the unions not representing their members properly and deceiving members and the public about their motives.

The Labour Party and the unions are now frequently about sustaining the Labour Party and the unions. And not about what they are supposed to be.

The film Made in Dagenham shows how unions can behave very badly. The union officials in that film were about supporting themselves, not the members and not the women fighting for equal pay. That film was set in the early 1970s. Some of the unions haven't moved on since then.

You only need to look at the Southampton Fair Funding for All Schools (SFFAS) campaign to see how they have lost their way.

We have provided comment on this website and in the Daily Echo to show how parents feel misled by that campaign.

We have showed how the SFFAS poses as a parent-led campaign but is in fact a barely-concealed con.

It is a union and Labour campaign. They should be honest about that. Instead, they have drawn in parents by pretending they are something they are not.

When questioned by parents about the campaign's funding and who was behind it, at one of the public meetings, the SFFAS organisers withheld information about the fact that it is a union campaign and the fact that many of the parents at that meeting, and otherwise involved in the campaign, are also union activists.

Parents are going to be angry when they find out the truth.

And SFFAS is not politically neutral. It criticises the Tory Government, claiming that the Government claims are misleading, but it does not criticise the Labour Southampton City Council.

That is misleading. It is also not balanced.

The SFFAS campaign is another in a long line of Labour fronts.

They pretend to be for the people. Instead, they are about the Labour Party.

It is more Labour lies, used to deceive parents. That is unforgivable.

And this adds to the lies that the Labour council and Labour councillors about Southampton's bins. Year after year Labour councillors said they would "keep weekly bin collections".

Don't forget, in February 2017, they voted to make your bins collected fortnightly. They even tried to spin it as "Alternate Weekly Collections".

Labour lies to keep itself going, using its union-funded lie machine.

Labour put the party, not people, first.

We are publishing the truth about schools funding. 

And we will try to be balanced, as Southampton Independents always try to be.

Southampton Schools March Must Be Called Off

Regarding the march scheduled by Southampton Fair Funding for Schools for Southampton tomorrow, Southampton Independents Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Test, Andrew Pope, says:

"This march should be called off.

Firstly, it is taking Police away, when the country's threat level is Critical, the highest level.

Secondly, it is disrespectful to those who died in Manchester to mount a loud protest with speakers, whistles, microphones and noise. And it is unnecessarily endangering adults and children at a time of danger.

Thirdly, Southampton Independents and parents have exposed the Southampton Fair Funding for Schools as a front for the Labour Party and unions. They pose as being a group of parents, but it is clear the Fair Funding campaign is organised by teaching unions. They have misled parents, which is unforgivable.

Their campaign criticises the Conservative Government for cuts that might come in, but they haven't criticised the Labour Council and Councillor Darren Paffey who removed funding from Southampton schools that had previously been promised.

If it was a parent-led campaign that was balanced in its criticism, Southampton Independents and parents would support it. But it is not.

We understand that they have even given Darren Paffey the opportunity to speak, to pretend he is on their side. He isn't. He cut school funding! They should be criticising him, but they aren't because he is with Labour.

Southampton Independents, and parents that we have been in touch with, will not be attending.

Southampton Fair Funding for Schools must call the march off."

One irate parent agreed:

"I think it is dangerous, disrespectful and yes it's not what it appears to be.  Thanks for exposing it for what it is. 

 I've started following the whole fair funding thing on twitter. Most of the photo's posted have references to unions, also the list of followers makes good reading.  There are a lot of people connected with unions one way or another."  

City College "Requires Improvement" Says OFSTED

Andrew Pope

Southampton Independents Emblem

Responding to the OFSTED "Further education and skills inspection report" Andrew Pope, Southampton Independents Councillor for Redbridge and Parliamentary Candidate for Southampton Test said:

"The problems at City College are another case of Labour or Tory, same old story.

Instead of bickering at Westminster or in the Council about who is at fault, they should be getting to the root of the problems. That's what Southampton Independents do. We listen and act.

As a former college student myself in IT, I understand the importance of vocational education to the development of young people and Southampton's economy.

Funding has been cut by the Tory Government, but the Labour Council has not been making the right decisions on education, removing funding previously promised from schools, which impacts on the ability to achieve at college level. 

Labour and Tory councillors have voted for millions to be spent on the "Arts Complex" but education is more important. They have the wrong priorities.

And last year's Council Scrutiny Panel of Labour and Tory councillors that looked at City College, seems to have made no difference whatsoever. Labour and Tory councillors put their party, not the people first, so how can they scrutinise themselves?

The Labour Council has failed its statutory duty to Southampton's young people and families, as has the Labour MP for 20 years Alan Whitehead. Mr Whitehead has failed Southampton's young people too. But the Tory Government has failed also.

The OFSTED report is clear that the Labour Council and Tory Government are failing, with unemployment 'higher then regional and national averages'. Totton College, like City College, has experienced similar problems. I intervened there back in 2015. Further education in Southampton is in trouble.

Both Labour and the Tories are more concerned with covering up, instead of moving pupils up, when it comes to education.

Like Southampton Independents said about Labour and Tory failings on school education, pupils and families deserve the best."

Southampton Residents Say Corbyn Should "Jog On!"

Southampton Independents Emblem

Southampton Independents is a local political party registered with the Electoral Commission. 

Independents across England put local people, not their party, first. We are proudly Independent of Labour and the Tories.

We were created because we listen to Southampton people, we work for local people and we stand up for local people.

Southampton Independents put you, your area and your family first.

With the news that Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott doesn't seem able to add up, Jeremy Corbyn visited Southampton and the Redbridge ward in the Southampton Test constituency.

Our 2017 Southampton Independents candidate for Southampton Test Councillor Andrew Pope represents the same ward on Southampton City Council.

Andrew Pope is also standing in the General Election against Alan Whitehead, Labour's candidate who has been the MP since 1997.

Andrew Pope said:

Andrew Pope

"Unlike Jeremy Corbyn and Alan Whitehead, Southampton Independents are here all year round, not for a flying visit every few years at election time.

Southampton communities are left to pick up the pieces from Labour and Tory MPs making the wrong decisions in Westminster, because MPs are so out-of-touch.

This week's publicity stunt by Corbyn and Whitehead is Labour blaming the Tories and the Tories blaming Labour. People are fed up with it and want local people to be heard.

Like Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Council are out-of-touch.

Corbyn claims that Labour protects communities.

But the Labour Council are harming communities by making the wrong decisions on spending, closing care centres, removing funding from schools they had already promised, not fixing our roads, leaving children vulnerable and robbing £16 million from the City to spend on an Arts Complex. 

And THEN blaming the Tory Government instead of taking responsibility!

Mr Whitehead seems strangely silent on the Labour Council's failures. That's because he places the Labour Party before local people. In the 2015 General Election, he even claimed on his election leaflet that Labour was investing in our roads. They haven't done anywhere near enough. People complain to Southampton Independents all the time about the state of our roads.

Alan Whitehead has been the MP for 20 years and during that time, our roads have got worse and worse.

And why did Corbyn and Whitehead come to Millbrook to use it as a political platform? Because they haven't helped local people and they are only interested in getting their votes, not in listening to them properly.

Labour quotes figures for all of Hampshire which bear no relation to what is happening here in Southampton.

Residents of Redbridge agree that we have dealt together with local problems, and Southampton Independents have worked with the Police and the local community to combat bus violence, deal with anti-social behaviour with motorbikes and to help investigating other crime such as the recent fire at Redbridge Towers. Residents know that crime and anti-social behaviour have fallen because we have worked together.

Yet Corbyn and Whitehead invite the media to Millbrook to insult us all.

There are still problems in our City, but the people of Southampton work on them together, despite and in spite of meddling from MPs in London.

Like residents said to us after the visit, Corbyn and Whitehead should 'jog on' back to Westminster."

Labour, Corbyn and Whitehead Are A Threat to Our Safety

With today's news that Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott doesn't seem able to add up, Jeremy Corbyn visited Southampton and the Redbridge ward in the Southampton Test constituency.

Our Southampton Independents candidate Councillor Andrew Pope represents the same ward.

Andrew Pope is standing in the General Election against Alan Whitehead, Labour's candidate.

Andrew said:

"What use is a Labour policy if it is never going to be implemented, because Diane Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Whitehead and the Labour-run Council lack any credibility because they are not leaders and they cannot add up?

Unlike Jeremy Corbyn and Alan Whitehead, Southampton Independents are here all year round, not for a flying visit every few years at election time.

They were on Kendal Avenue.

Did they show Corbyn and Whitehead the library on Kendal Avenue that the Labour Council closed, despite it costing little money and it being popular with local adults and children?

Did they take Corbyn and Whitehead to the Brownhill House care centre on Lower Brownhill Road, that the Labour Council closed last year, despite the NHS and social care crisis that Labour is always going on about?

Did they take Corbyn and Whitehead to speak to headteachers and parents of children at Southampton schools that the Labour Council last year said would get extra funds for extra pupils, funds which were then taken away later last year?

Did they take Corbyn and Whitehead to speak with Redbridge Towers residents who were left literally in the cold, with no information, after the recent fire?

Residents told me this morning that they resent Corbyn and Whitehead using our area for a publicity stunt.

And it appears that their visit is as poorly thought-through as Labour's policies and their sums on their policies.

Residents have suggested that Corbyn "jog on" back to Westminster and out of our area.

And that Alan Whitehead needs to be voted out at the General Election on 8th June 2017."

Labour Council Blames Tory Government For Its Own Failures

Southampton Independents campaigner Denise Wyatt wrote the following letter to the Daily Echo.

The online version is here, with links to other Echo articles on the funding of schools.

The original version of Denise's letter is below.

"I read today's Echo with interest, as I and my Southampton Independent colleague Councillor Andrew Pope had been contacted by parents and the headteachers of schools across Southampton. We met with those parents and headteachers.
The problems are not limited to just SEN schools.
As the Echo has reported at February Full Council, mainstream schools had their funding changed - not by the Conservative Government but by the Labour-run Council. Schools were told one thing by the Council and then the Council did another. They are furious with the Council.
Prior to that, the SEN provision in the City had not been properly forecast by the Council. And massive unplanned expenditure of millions of pounds resulted.
It seems that the Council doesn't have a grip on its schools, or on their funding, just like it doesn't have a grip on the safeguarding of children.
This is unsurprising perhaps when the current Chief Executive Ms Baxendale has presided over several Directors of Children Services and Labour has changed the Cabinet members for education and safeguarding many times over the last five years. The latest incumbent Labour Councillor Paffey doesn't have a grip, as neither did his predecessor former Cllr Jeffrey.
And no wonder OFSTED came back recently to inspect Southampton City Council. The Tories were no better when they were "in charge" of the Council.
It's just another case or Labour or Tory, same old story.
And it's one blaming the other, rather than parents and children getting the education and facilities they deserve - the best.
Best wishes,
Denise Wyatt
Southampton Independents"

Brexit Must Halt Mass Immigration

During the EU Referendum campaign, we campaigned for Brexit.

We did this because we listened to the views of people across Hampshire.

They told us they wanted to vote for Brexit.

And they told us why:

"Immigration"

"too many immigrants"

"immigration is too much"

"we don't mind people coming here, but it is too many".

And they voted to Leave in their droves.

They turned up to vote, unlike in most local council elections where turnout is under half what it was in the EU Referendum.

They saw the effect of mass immigration on their daily lives.

For example, Southampton's schools have been impacted by an increased birth rate brought in largely due to mass immigration.

Southampton City Council had to expand the number of school places in 2012. I was at the Scrutiny meeting where councillors were asking questions about it. I particularly wanted to know whether there was any truth to the claim that immigration was putting pressure on the schools.

And the evidence that was provided by Council officers was clear.

Roll forward to 2016, and I asked Council officers for an update.

The pressure had not been alleviated and the percentage of school places taken by immigrants had gone up while school places taken by British nationals had gone down.

This should be no surprise - successive governments, whether Labour, Tory or Coalition, had failed to control mass immigration.

This is just one example - public services across local government and national government have been put under strain.

Brexit must halt mass immigration and the Government must control immigration to sustainable numbers.

That is what people voted for on 23rd June.

Now it is the Government's job to deliver.

Best wishes,
Councillor Andrew Pope