SHAME OF TRUANCY IN SOMERSET - Letter (28/09/05)

I note with great disappointment that the rate of truancy in Somerset has increased. This is a matter of shame for our County. We want to be able to take pride in our Education provision, but this is difficult when more and more children are rejecting their schooling.

It is time to search for more intelligent solutions to this problem rather than merely throwing money at it. The Labour Government has wasted over £1bn on futile attempts to stop the trend. The Liberal Democrats at County Hall have eagerly told anyone who will listen that they are taking money from other services such as roads and transport and giving it to the Education Department instead. That is their decision, yet as taxpayers we want to see results. The figures suggest that all this expenditure does not appear to be working.

Conservatives propose that the Government, the County Council, teachers, parents and pupils all need to take responsibility and play our part to resolve this problem. We believe that pupils need to feel that education is worthwhile. We propose that home-school contracts, greater flexibility within the curriculum and giving more importance to vocational training where appropriate, would go some way to helping the situation.

Christopher Wolverson

Leader of the Conservative Group, Somerset County Council