South Dorset’s Labour Candidate in South Dorset, Simon Bowkett has today queried local MP Richard Drax’s role in the crisis at Weymouth College.
Speaking after the publication of a highly critical Ofsted report and the news of the resignation of former Principal Liz Myles, Simon Bowkett said,
“The new acting Principal Nigel Evans is spot-on in his assessment that teaching and learning at the college is good – but has been undermined by financial, governance and leadership issues.
“Between June 2013 and now the college has somehow gone from having its leadership and management rated as “good” to “inadequate” – a period that Ms Myles was in charge, and was regularly supported by Richard Drax MP.
“Mr Drax’s own blog details his ‘regular meetings’ with Ms Myles – including a lunch at the Commons – and his assessment just last year that ‘The College is going through a challenging time, but Liz is the right person to steer it through troubled waters.’ If Mr Drax was meeting regularly with the Principal at a time when the finances of the college were unravelling, and the management of the college was deteriorating, how could his judgement have been so poor and he not recognise the deepening crisis?”
Mr Bowkett recently met acting Principal Nigel Evans and agreed to a future meeting with the college’s Board to discuss the way forward.
“It’s time to look forward to build on the positives. The teaching and learning at Weymouth College is good, and there is a committed staff team there, and enthusiastic students. I want to work with the college’s management team and Board to focus the college on fulfilling its potential as a vital part of the local skills strategy – being a centre of excellence for vocational skills, and particularly high-end, technical skills as part of my plan to bring more jobs and better jobs to the local area.”
