Beith sends strong message to Minister over education in Northumberland

2.30.00pm GMT Tue 21st Nov 2006

Lib Dem MP Alan Beith has today met with Jim Knight, the Minister of State for Schools, at Woodhorn in Northumberland. The meeting arose after Mr Knight promised Alan Beith in the House of Commons that he would visit Northumberland to hear more about the problems facing schools here.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Beith said

"The meeting delivered a very strong message to the Minister on funding for schools in Northumberland, on the urgent need to replace the Duchess High School in Alnwick, and on school transport, particularly the £360 charge on over 16s travel and the withdrawal of train travel for college students in Berwick.

"He has agreed to return for a fuller visit to local schools, and he has agreed that the Government Office for the North East will work with the County Council to help them bid for funds and to review the transport arrangements for the over 16s.

"The three tier versus two tier argument he regards as a local issue, but I put it to him that the County Council does not have the funding to carry through the reorganisation, and that schools and other services are being squeezed in the attempt to reorganise the first two areas, Blyth and Cramlington.

"We made the best we could of the meeting and I will be continuing to press Ministers and the County Council to sort these problems out."