CLOSURE OF CHILDREN'S LITERACY CENTRES IN CUMBRIA

Early day motion 1630, tabled 13 February 2006 by Eric Martlew (Labour). Signed by 28 members.

That this House totally condemns the short-sighted and callous decision by the Conservative and Liberal Democrat controlled Cumbria County Council to close the county's four children's literacy centres in Carlisle, Whitehaven, Kendal and Barrow; urges immediate reconsideration of the decision in light of the invaluable service these centres provide to children who have not made the necessary progress in their school reading programmes and who require this essential additional help with the vital life skills of reading and writing; and calls on Cumbria County Council to continue to finance these special units and to show that it values the work they do to accelerate the development of children's early literacy skills by linking reading with speech, sound and pronunciation and helping to equip children with literacy difficulties with the necessary tools to unlock their individual potential.

Signatures by party: Labour 24, DUP 3, Conservative 1.