Past News

Initial Consultation Complete	visits

Here are some of the earlier news stories

28/06/2005 23:30

I'll shortly be adding a bit of structure to this site to make it easier to use rather than having a single page. First step is the shortcut buttons at top of this page for downloading blank petition forms, downloading the window poster and signing the online petition

28/06/2005 14:00

Call for Petition coordinators

To help speed up the spread of the campaign we would like "Petition Coordinators". Ideally, we would like individuals to take responsibility for obtaining signatures etc from the street where they live (or part of a long road). We have a map of Emmbrook and we're crossing off streets as people take ownership. If you are able to help please contact us and we'll tick off your street as being allocated. You can download blank petition forms here and also posters can be downloaded and printed out. Failing that contact us and we'll drop some blank ones around.

27/06/2005 22:50

Here is a word document which contains a "Save our School" poster to stick in your windows. Download it, print it and away you go. Better still print out 10 to 25 and give them to friends and neighbours who are not online.

27/06/2005 16:00

We have been in contact with BBC Radio Berkshire They seem quite keen on covering the story.

27/06/2005 15:15

Online resources for petitions. Pushed for time? You can sign an online petition by going here Better still! you can download a blank petition form by clicking here, print it out and get your family, friends and neighbours to sign it. Your signature is good, but if you can get 25 signatures you'll be doing your bit!

27/06/2005 12:30

Had a productive meeting with a reporter from The Wokingham times

27/06/2005 09:15

Many primary school parents signed our partition this morning as we stood outside the primary school gates. No one we have spoken to so far has refused to sign.

26/06/2005 13:15

People are signing the petition form rapidly with the Emmbrook Post office reporting 150 signatures by first thing this morning at this one site alone.

26/06/2005 13:00

The afternoon of the 25th saw the first meeting of parents and residents opposed to the relocation of The Emmbrook School. The meeting coincided with the councillor's surgery held at the Emmbrook village hall. Some highlights from the meeting are listed below:

	Councillor Debbie Lewis attended the meeting. The other two councillors, (Mrs UllaKarin Clark and Mr Philip Mirfin could not attend due to "family issues"
	Around 68 residents and parents attended the meeting together with representatives from both residents associations
	Councillor Lewis was keen to continue the meeting as a surgery with people talking to her individually. Sean Moore addressed the group and asked the group if they wished the meeting to be run on an individual or group basis. There was a show of hands with the vast majority (probably 100%?) asking for the meeting to be run as a group. After some initial reluctance from the councillor the meeting was run as a group although she was keen to stress that it was "not a public meeting"
	Sean Moore addressed the group. He introduced himself and this pressure group and briefly went on to point out the aims of this group and briefly outline some arguments against the relocation of The Emmbrook Secondary School.
	Councillor Lewis fielded many questions from the group for around 1.5 hours and went away with ten pages of notes and questions which she would come back on.
	Councillor Lewis announced that there would be a proper public meeting to discuss proposals although the date and time was unknown at this stage.
	Councillor Lewis stated categorically that the proposal was not a fait accompli and that no firm decision would be taken regarding the future of The Emmbrook Secondary school until the public have been adequately consulted.
	Many, Many good and original points were raised by the people attending, together with a number of moving accounts of how the proposal affected people directly. These good quality arguments were noted and will be used as ammunition for this campaign.
	A significant number of people were extremely critical of the approach taken by the council for this consultation. Firstly, very few people have actually been contacted and secondly they are being asked to comment upon proposals which lack the basic facts such as details of the revised catchment areas and exactly which assets will be sold to fund the project.
	Sean Moore spoke to representatives of the residents associations and it was decided that we all needed to work together with the common aim of objecting to the proposal to relocate the school
	People have already started signing the petition and people took away blank forms to obtain signatures in their street etc

We can be contacted via emmbrookrelocation@hotmail.co.uk