Pupils charged £2,500 for demo

Neal Keeling

February 05, 2008

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St. George's High School pupils Lizzie Finch, Hannah McCarthy, Heather Ennis and Becky Traynor

COUNCIL bosses are refusing to waive a £2,500 charge for pupils who want to march to save their school from closure.

Girls from St George's RC High in Walkden, Salford, had been planning the 600-strong parade for months and held talks with police and town hall officials.

They even received a letter from Prince Charles, wishing them luck with their campaign.

But now the council has sent a letter to the school saying it must pay £2,500 if the march goes ahead on February 24.

The costs, says the letter, are for `traffic management' and the price is higher because the date is a Sunday.

But, in a letter to Jill Baker, the city's director of children's services, and council chief executive Barbara Spicer, the school's head teacher, Phil Harte, says: "This is a considerable sum of money. It would seem to me, and perhaps other people, that to charge children £2,500 for carrying out a lawful and legitimate demonstration of their support for their own school would not enhance the reputation of the council.

"I think this charge should be waived, because a failure to do so sends out the wrong message to our pupils. I think we have a duty to support them in their attempts to follow democratic procedures."

One of the pupils organising the walk, Heather Ennis, said: "They are trying to stop us because we are kids and we're fighting their proposals."

But Mrs Baker said: "We have no issue with St George's pupils wanting to make their views known in this way. There are, however, real costs to the council in organising the necessary road closures - costs that need to be met from some source.

"Road closure orders were recently delegated to local authorities and we have a responsibility to council taxpayers to not set a precedent in ultimately passing on costs to them.

"Regardless of the reasons why the road closure was requested, we would be making the same decision. This arrangement does not affect existing long-standing events.

"I'd like to reassure the pupils that the comments and opinions they offered are valued and are being considered."

neal.keeling@men-news.co.uk

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The Bobelesque (05/02/2008 at 12:01)

So if the kids don't pay for the costs of managing taffic so that they can exercise their democratic right - who will? Oh that's right, the tax payer as usual.

Sorry gals, but if you want your say you'll have to pay.

DOOBYDO (05/02/2008 at 12:23)

If I had £2500 to spare I would gladly give it to the pupils to hold their demonstration. Salford council are behaving like bullies. St George's school has a fantastic reputation locally and further afield. Salford Council are determined to close a high acheiving school without good enough reason. I'm sure a bit of fundraising in the local area would help them to get the money to pay for this. I will be putting my cheque in the post today!

Pippa, Manchester (05/02/2008 at 12:28)

No idea of the route - but why don't they march "crocodile fashion" two by two on the pavement. Surely this would bring as much attention to their protest and not need the roads closing. I'm sure that the MEN would send a journalist and photographer to cover the event.

mylifeinthemafia (05/02/2008 at 12:36)

If there are a thousand kids at this school then it works out at £1.25 per parent. WOW!!

help (05/02/2008 at 12:48)

Perhaps the BBc phil could walk in front and use some of the £20m Salford has given them to pay the £2,500. That kills a number of birds with one stone, the kids get to march and the BBC meets its targets for working with 1000 kids.
But it is typical of a council that has many jealous members on it who see it as a personal crusade to dumb down education in Salford to match the intelligence of the aforementioned councillors.

SamV, Manchester (05/02/2008 at 13:01)

When did marching solve anything?
A million people marched against the Iraq war and look what (didn't) happen.

Direct action on the other hand....

Letsjumpship, Roe Green (05/02/2008 at 13:32)

Maybe the 'Parking Attendants' could work a bit harder outside St Marks Church this Sunday. If they book enough parishioners like they normally do, the Council could get the money that way and let the kids have their march.

Mind you, Merry and Co probably need that money for their staff jollies at the Novatel in Worsley at summertime. £2500 will buy them their silly hats and T shirts for their staff bonding nonsense.

jomov, Manchester (05/02/2008 at 14:23)

At least they are doing something worthwhile...not hounding the streets with guns and violence like some of their peers...

No wonder nobody can be bothered to do anything which seems challenging when no enthusiam or support is given.

Neil Stockport (05/02/2008 at 14:35)

Good on salford council this will teach these kids the value of money, not think that they can go through life getting freebeies. They want to behave like adults then good on them but they need to pay like adults.

Fran M, Stockport (05/02/2008 at 15:22)

Why should anyone be asked to pay for a democratic right. Democracy either exists in this country or it doesn't. It is a democratic right to assemble and make a political point. The council are probably going over the top with road closures etc. There is probably no need to close roads or extra policing. Drivers are not stupid and would accommodate the demonstrators when they encounter them. Proper marshaling should ensure safety. When politicians complain about low voter turnout and political apathy how can they then turn around and levy a charge on school kids when they want to get involved.

Black Sabbath (05/02/2008 at 15:42)

Well said help, I imagine the average IQ of the Salford Councillor to be WAY BELOW the national average of 100 as even a clot can see that most of their policies (particularly backing the Toll Tax) are madness.

Terry Sosata, Salford (05/02/2008 at 18:53)

Please listen Salford Council!

Freedom is when the people can speak, democracy is when the government listens.

Alastair Farrugia

Let the pupils speak Let the council listen

JUSTICE IS A POWERFUL TOOL InJustice is a Crime

£2500? What do you actually need it for? Is it 'to cover the costs of drawing up public notices, controlling traffic lights, closing the roads and putting out cones.'as stated in the press OR is it to cover your next 'slap up' bonding session for all and sundry in the Town Hall; conjuring up other ways to deprive Salfordians of positive developments in their City?

Freedom of Expression - at a cost! Do these notions go together? Maybe under President Robert Mugabe, in Harare's troubled streets but Walkden's roads seem to share the same fate.

Indeed the Latvian poet, Andrejs Upits once said, 'We must all live so that our children do not have to pay for our deeds.' Why should they have to empty piggy banks, use their University Funds and dig deep into their pocket money merely to expose your ill advised plans. You certainly haven't played the game with any honesty, fairness or integrity so far Salford Council but this seems one step (or is it one march) too far.

Could you, for once, do the right thing?

My cynical mind tells me you are not capable of this but my heart prays for you to make a sensible judgement to allow these pupils to express themselves.

I am beginning to wonder if it is 'BSF' fundings the council have or they got confused and have contracted 'BSE' at one of their lavish meals; their logic is certainly bordering on madness.

didarunna2spain, Tarragona Spain. (05/02/2008 at 18:59)

God knows how much they are going to charge for the revolution when it comes!

DOOBYDO (05/02/2008 at 21:43)

This school is extremely small and does not have 1000 pupils unfortunately. I wonder if Salford Council will be charging other local groups for road closures on a Sunday. The next big one of course will be when the local Scout and Guide associations do their annual St George's Day Walk. The local one in the area covered by St Georges goes from Roe Green to Worsley and of course there is also the National day of road closures each year...........Rememberance Sunday. Will Salford Council be making charges to the Royal British Legion in November??? Everyone better get saving now!!!!

Gareth Jones (05/02/2008 at 21:45)

Well the money isn't going on policing Salford's streets anyway. Nearly every day there's smashed glass on the roads down here where some parasite of crap has taken a fancy to someone's belongings inside their car.

Everyone reports it and yet there's never any police down here.

Anyone even remotely considering moving to Salford should seriously go elsewhere - no-one cares here.

BluePolarBear, ex of Stockport (05/02/2008 at 22:27)

It's our right to peacefully protest.What do the council want,a generation of docile serfs,who unthinkingly accept decisions from on high?Good on the pupils,for having the guts,intelligence and motivation to do this.

LookingForLogic, Stockport (06/02/2008 at 00:44)

I can see how it would cost money to make the march secure & safe for the pupils, but I still wonder how much football matches ( even relatively small ones) cost the tax payer & if the business' that arrange them are charged accordingly?

The council are just trying to scare the kids out of taking further action.

Ms D, Manchester (06/02/2008 at 08:37)

They can still protest and march - just use the pavements girls, they can't charge for that. I know it's a different council but were the family of the criminal Des Noonan charged for closing down a local school for the day because of his funeral procession ?

thaitanium (06/02/2008 at 08:48)

"I'd like to reassure the pupils that the comments and opinions they offered are valued and are being considered."
Whats missing here is the rest of the sentence "and ignored" profit before people I wonder where its all going to end?

come-on-city (06/02/2008 at 14:37)

I think its a sad situation that people need permission and have to pay to protest in the first place.

LookingForLogic, Stockport (07/02/2008 at 01:16)

Well said Ms D. I don't think the council had much choice in the other instance you mentioned. Surprised the MEN let that comment through, very well said!

HMS, Urmston (07/02/2008 at 15:57)

Doesn't surprise me - this is Salford Council we are talking about.

They're very good at charging for stuff like this under the pretence that it goes back into the community.....yeah, right!

SteveDB (12/06/2008 at 18:18)

Absolutely typical of Saford Council. When the Bikers Toy to Pendlebury Hospital run refused to pay this abominable charge, Salford Council denied that they were ever going to charge them and blamed the Police- they lied! I am a long term Salford resident but I am ashamed of our Councillors and the whole ethos of Salford Council and haven't our new Councillors slipped into the same ways soooo easily. So much for resisting the congestion charge and changing the way they do things. Mind you I never believed our new Councilor could or would ever make a difference. Just another feeder from the nosebag.

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