Tynwald Totally Out Of Touch?

[Beckett]

http://www.manxradio.com/readItem.aspx?ID=7785&cate=General

 

http://www.manxradio.com/readItem.aspx?ID=7796&cate=General

 

Why not hear from them? All this talk of wanting to engage the electorate and wanting people to get involved with politics - my arse!

 

Where do they think they are, Westminster? The US Senate? They couldn't spare a few minutes of parliamentary time? No doubt they'll see a few faces they've sent away today marching to the Hill on July 5.

 

They're a glorified parish council and should be willing to listen to a handful of the mere 70,000 people that they represent.

 

I really hope there are some suprises at this next election - oh how I long for constitutional reform!!

 

Wonder if the PAG have anything to say on the matter?

[LoneWolf]

I really hope there are some suprises at this next election - oh how I long for constitutional reform!!

Wonder if the PAG have anything to say on the matter?

 

What would you like to see Beckett ? Very interesting post.

I dont know about constitutional reform but I would like to see party politics operating on the island.

[Beckett]

With you 100% LW - those two magic words - Party Politics.

 

I remember doing a group project on PP at Uni, there was a suggestion we look at the Isle of Man as one for one of the case studies, me being Manx n all that.

 

Got some funny looks when I told them how the system works here!

 

I can't see pp emerging without constitutional reform, at the moment all 24 members of the House are vested with government duties and responsibilities. The Government has majority by default with no public input into its formation (outside of 'here are 24 people you can choose to be in it').

 

Step 1 has to be that the CM can't sit in LegCo IMHO.

Edited June 21, 2006 by Beckett

[LoneWolf]

I did wonder if Bernard Moffatt would throw his hat in the ring this time and try to revive Mec Vannin interest in Parliamentary Politics.

It would be a start. The Manx Labour party of which I am a member has all but died the death and there is no sign of a radical right wing party.

I just wish ............

[VinnieK]

Although I'm in favour of constitutional reform (especially to resolve the irksome issue of uncontested seats) I'd be loathe to see party politics on the Island. For a large nation parties are a neccessity for national government, but for a population the size of the Island's I fear that the negative aspects of the restrictive influences of party discipline and ideological commitment would far outweigh the benefits of some negligeable level of improvement in organization.

 

Specifically, I don't quite see how party politics would ensure a greater level of consultation with the electorate over specific policy, or increase the public's say in who in the party got what position in any government that was founded. Also, on a practical level, I'm not even sure that the Island can even one political party (as the demise of the Manx Labour Party demonstrates), never mind more.

[GD4ELI]

Quote LoneWolf

 

The Manx Labour party of which I am a member has all but died the death and there is no sign of a radical right wing party.

I just wish ............

 

Hedging your bets in case the revolution comes?

[Ripsaw]

I don't have time to comment at this moment, but I'm posting the question and answer from Hansards 16th May 2006, regarding the closure for those who have only read the paper/radio/forum reports and/or comments. (Apologies for lack of formatting)

 

 

Special Needs Unit, Jurby Primary School

Decision to close

 

20. The Hon. Member for Michael (Mr Cannan) to ask the Minister for Education:

(1) Why is your Department closing the Special Needs Unit at Jurby Primary School with effect from the end of July 2006; and

(2) will you now reconsider the matter and reverse your decision?

 

Answer:

 

There are 35 primary schools on the Isle of Man and only nine of them have special units.

In total, the nine units will cater for 73 children in September 2006 but, by September 2008, the total will drop to 56 children – a decrease of 17 children. However, in contrast to this, the numbers of children requiring a special unit place in the Douglas/Onchan area will increase by eight by September 2006.

 

It clearly makes sense to move the expert staff running the units to where there is the greatest need. There are currently five pupils educated within the unit at Jurby.

 

One of these pupils is currently in Year 6 and will be transferring to secondary school at the start of the next academic year. Of the remaining four, one pupil of reception age will be, this September, fully integrated into mainstream classes at Jurby. Every effort will be made to ensure smooth transfers of pupils to alternative provision.

 

Of the three pupils requiring alternative placement, one lives in Kirk Michael, one in Sandygate and the other in Ramsey. The plan is to hold a multi agency review with full parental/school involvement to consider appropriate placement.

 

The decision to close the Unit at Jurby School was made following consultation with the headteacher and governors of the school. The head of Special Needs and Psychology Services has also met with staff and parents. The headteacher understands the situation and staff know that it is likely that they will move to similar posts in other schools.

 

The closure is necessary because the number of children in the area needing this type of special education has reduced. Provision for the children attending Jurby School will be continued at Auldyn School or at Peel Clothworkersʼ and staff will be redeployed to suitable posts.

 

The Department of Education keeps all provision under review and adjustments to staffing levels are made to ensure that support for children responds to local needs.

 

The significant increase in the number of children needing PMLD (Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties) education in the Douglas/Onchan area means that the Department of Education needs to make additional places available at Onchan Primary School and this can be achieved within existing staffing resources.

 

This matter has been given careful consideration and the decision will not be reversed.

Edited June 22, 2006 by Ripsaw

[GD4ELI]

I did wonder if Bernard Moffatt would throw his hat in the ring this time and try to revive Mec Vannin interest in Parliamentary Politics.

It would be a start. The Manx Labour party of which I am a member has all but died the death and there is no sign of a radical right wing party.

I just wish ............

I would like to see Bernard Moffat in a leadershop role rather than continually whining. He has considerable abilities; just doesn't use them.

 

He's been quiet lately - must be on holiday?

[lisner]

Bernie Moffat is recently back from holiday.

 

This thread is mainly concerned with matters at Jurby school, however:

 

to carry on the theme of Party Politics. I believe there is a (radical?) right wing group/party forming on this Island in the name of PAG.

 

"Right Wing! PAG?" well yes. Although they have a number of 'core issues'* that we probably all agree with 'in principle'*, the group does promote itself as being right wing. Ask them. Especially the chap who wrote a letter in the Examoner this week.

 

So yes, there may be room for a PP system on the Island.

 

In such a situation however, I would certainly consider changing my own alliance of a lifetime and supporting the name of Labour.

 

 

 

*apologies for the occasional cliché here but we are talking politics aren't we.

[Ripsaw]

I would take a guess that there is a register of 2,3 and 4 year olds that are listed as Special Needs and these total less than the 14, 15 and 16 year olds who will be leaving education facilities.

 

The policy of the Department is that special educational needs should be identified and met in mainstream situations wherever possible. This is achieved by every school having a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO). The Co-ordinator will be a teacher with particular knowledge and experience in meeting the needs of children who have difficulties

 

The above paragraph is sourced from HERE

 

The term "Special Needs" is a wide reaching description that includes hearing and speech difficulties as well as conditions that cause behaviour and other learning related problems.

 

There are good reasons for having a seperate unit and there are good reasons for mainstream intergration with the correct support. There are good reasons for having the teaching staff in one location and good reasons for making their skills available in other locations.

 

Each child is an individual and has their own requirements. Depending on the reasons for being classed as "Special Needs" some would be able to move schools without a secong thought and others will go through serious anguish which could take years, if ever, to correct.

 

I would be interested to know when the thought of closing the school was first proposed and how valid it is to postpone the closure.

 

My quote from 9:16 this morning says "The head of Special Needs and Psychology Services has also met with staff and parents", was it the sort of meeting that went along the lines of "Hello everyone, by the way, We are closing the school in 3 months" or has it been an ongoing discussion going back months/years?

 

It all seems to have come into the public eye out of the blue.

[manxchatterbox]

Quote LoneWolf

 

The Manx Labour party of which I am a member has all but died the death and there is no sign of a radical right wing party.

I just wish ............

 

 

...sometimes wishes do come true.....

[Gladys]

Perhaps I am being too simplistic, but wouldn't one way of resolving this be to offer places to the Jurby schoolchildren at the new school that the Jurby special needs teacher is moving to? In that way the children will have the continuity of a known teacher which will help them make the transition a little more easily.

[manxchatterbox]

why not keep the teacher at Jurby school and get any other special needs kids to travel there??

[Foxtrotlima]

Right, I purposely stay out of policial threads on MF, my views are not to everyones tastes.

 

The children at Jurby School SEN have very few choices. And before I get a flaming, my daughter attends Jurby School and I do (for once) know what I am on about.

 

The children in question have two choices. They either travel a 34 mile per day round trip to Peel Clothworkers School which is no mean feat to any parent with a child with Learning Disabilities. I work with young men with Learning Disabilites and can fully appreciate the effort that goes into getting them ready for 8am in the morning.

 

The other choice that they have is to attend an Infant School, namely Auldyn Infants. Now, for children of infant school age, this may not seem too much of a problem. The only issue I have is that they will have to stay there till they are 11 years old. Fair? Appropiate? Well, I am sorry, I think not.

 

As a parent of a child at the aforementioned school, I am disgusted at the Department of Education's decision. My daughter is fortunate enough not to need SEN, but is distraught at losing her friends who will have to move schools.

 

I know this thread got kind of derailed but, I thought I would just take it back to the original post.

 

Fair decision? Well, I think not, but would appreciate hearing the views of other posters.

[Gladys]

As someone more closely connected, FTL, what about my suggestion above? Would it work and does it have any merit? Really, I am a pragmatist at heart and often situations like these become polarised, whereas with a little compromise a workable solution can be found.

 

I also have to say that SENs seem very well catered for over here, apart from money being available, this is mainly because most primary schools are still community schools. By that I don't mean they serve a small, defined community, but they foster a feeling of community within the school. In England, finding adequate SEN support in your local school would, I suspect, be very difficult and many parents would have to go much further afield to get the right education for their child.

 

Is there no workable compromise?