Now Lord Hanningfield seems to have withdrawn from the great secondary schools debate to spend more time with his finances, maybe the rest of us have a chance of persuading the new spokesman, Stephen Castle, that Lord H’s idea to have no secondary schools in one half of the town is unwise.

He says that he has “unashamedly high ambitions for the children of Colchester”.

Could he, through the Gazette, answer these questions: 1. How can children be bussed across town along our painfully gridlocked rush hour roads and get to school on time? As for the £500,000 cost, let’s not even go there!

2. How early will children need to be standing at the bus stop?

3. Suppose they miss the bus or can’t face the long trek?

4. How will it feel for the children and teachers left in the slowly dying schools?

5. Won’t the teachers want to leave the sinking ships?

6. Will parents be willing and able to get across town to parents’ evenings and school plays?

7. Why not spend the £500,000 on improving the so-called failing schools?

Like smaller classes, more teachers not computers and interactive whiteboards!

“Failing” children need attention and affection, not long bus journeys across town.

I fear we’ll soon have another Visual Arts Facility on our hands – a set-up that nobody, except the tiny minority who thought it up and have since moved on, wanted.

Another two unused buildings with no more function – just abandoned to decay, vandalism and arson.

Will Mr Castle be brave enough to think again?

Watch this space!

Julia Newhouse
Hamilton Road
Colchester