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22/03/09 : Labour anger as Uni Council rubber-stamps School closure :
Labour leaders in Reading have reacted angrily to the decision of Reading University Council on Friday to close the School of Health and Social Care, over-riding pleas from staff, students, care workers and many others, including the Borough Council.
Cllr. Peter Jones, who sits on the University Council representing Reading Borough and was one of only four members to vote to keep the school open, says: "The Government is working on major changes to the training of social workers in the light of Baby P and other tragedies, changes that would open new and exciting opportunities to Reading's School of Health & Social Care, which has a good reputation and good partnerships with Reading and other local Councils. A University that understood and respected national needs and those of its local community would have wanted to seize those opportunities with both hands, but the University Council voted instead to let down local people."
Reading's Lead Councillor for Children's Services, John Ennis, adds "This is bad news for Reading, a bad decision badly arrived at. I understand the University & College Union may challenge the decision through judicial review, and if it does so then I would want Reading Borough Council to do everything it can to support that action. In the meantime I will ask officers to explore any other options, such as working with TVU, for continuing social work training in Reading as that is so important for our local services."
And Anneliese Dodds, Labour's prospective candidate for Reading East, adds: "With Children's Services in Wokingham being in the mess they are, I am angry that Pauline Helliar-Symons, the Tory Councillor who represents Wokingham on the University Council, didn't vote to keep the School of Health & Social Care open. I think she failed in her responsibility to the children and families in Wokingham, who, like Reading, need all the good social workers they can get."
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