Tory plea to call-in Monkseaton High closure consultation rejected
by Austen Shakespeare · ChronicleLiveNorth Tyneside Tories have seen their calls for additional scrutiny over the consultation to close Monkseaton High School rejected.
North Tyneside Council's Conservative Group has been informed that their request to "call in" the council's decision to move to the next phase of the school's closure and subject it to a full council vote has been declined. In a letter to the group, the council's chief executive Paul Hanson stated that the Tories' plea to see the next phase subject to scrutiny by councillors did not meet the criteria for a valid call-in.
The consultation on closing Monkseaton High by August 2026 is set to start on Friday, following the completion of a previous public consultation at the end of last month, asking for viable alternatives. However, parents and North Tyneside residents were subsequently told on Wednesday, November 6, that no alternatives had been identified, despite over 900 online submissions.
The leader of the North Tyneside Conservative Group, Preston with Preston Grange councillor Liam Bones said: "It is disappointing that the call-in request has been rejected, residents have been clear that they support our calls for more scrutiny of this decision which will have huge consequences for families across North Tyneside."
Coun Bones went on to say that while the call-in plea had been rejected, the conservative group did manage to submit a motion which asked Mayor Dame Norma and the council's cabinet not to proceed with the closure. The Conservative motion also calls for an independent inquiry into the school's financial issues.
However, according to Paul Hanson's letter to the local conservatives: "In relation to the decision that is the subject of this call-in and any subsequent decisions relating to the proposals for Monkseaton High School, it is important to note as a matter of law that these are not matters that can be considered and determined by full Council. They can only be considered by Cabinet or an individual Cabinet Member or Officer acting under an express delegation from the Cabinet."
Since September, North Tyneside Council has maintained that the school's future is perilous owing to a predicted financial deficit of around £7m. This is in conjunction with the school operating at only around a 50% capacity, low birth rates, and parental preference.
A spokesperson for North Tyneside Council said: “On 6 November the decision was taken to move to statutory consultation on the proposal to close Monkseaton High School from 31 August 2026. This decision has not been subject to a valid call-in request. The statutory consultation relating to the proposal to close Monkseaton High School will open on Friday 15 November.”
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