Parents pledge to fight school plans

Durham County Council intends to close Esh Winning Primary School and rebuild it on the village green off Woodlands Road.

But the move has angered parents who want the school rebuilt on its current site at College View.

Esh Winning Residents’ Group chairman Andrew Rice asked the cabinet to abandon the scheme during public question time at yesterday’s (wed) council meeting at County Hall in Durham.

Councillor Claire Vasey, cabinet member for children, said: "We are firmly of the view that schools should be at the heart of the community they serve.

"We want to remind people that this development includes a library and will make life easier for the people of Esh Winning and Hamsteels.

"This council is investing £7m in the proposed scheme and I am delighted residents of the village will benefit from this state of the art development."

The plans Esh Winning comes a year after the council closed Hamsteels Primary School despite widespread public opposition.

Mr Rice compared the council’s plan to Shotton Hall Primary School, which is being rebuilt on its original site, as well as proposals to rebuild Brandon Primary School on the site.

He asked whether this meant the views of Esh Winning residents were not valued by the council.

Coun Vasey said it was not possible to draw parallels between the schools and that no decision had been taken regarding Brandon Primary School.

Mr Rice, who has a six-year-old daughter, Eve, at the school, was denied the chance to ask a third question by council leader Simon Henig.

Mr Rice said: "The answer I got back was a highly polished political reply.

"It meant nothing. We want the investment but we want it as per what the residents have requested. This is supposed to be open and transparent local government.

"The residents are being disrespected and their opinions are not being valued.

"The answer was a ‘get lost you little people’.

"They are going to find out who we are. This is just the start."