"Published on Wednesday 9 March 2005 14:59 Founded in Warrington in 1844, St Elphin's celebrated its centenary on the Darley Dale site last October with a champagne buffet and an open day. A time capsule – due to be opened in the year 2104 – was buried in the grounds of the 44-acre-site. After several years of financial crisis and abortive rescue bids the future looked bright for the second oldest girls' school in the country – but that optimism was to be short-lived. This week it finally became clear when the owners announced it's closure. This turbulent stage in the school's history started in April 2003 when the school went into administration with debts of 3 million. From then on the Mercury chronicled the of events that led to the closure. October 2003: a rescue bid to save the school was announced. Plans for a lucrative housing development – which would mean building 100 houses in two parcels of land on school grounds – were submitted in outline to Derbyshire Dales District Council. But the bid was opposed by over 100 local householders in the Darley Residents Action Group. February 2004: the bid was refused by Derbyshire Dales District Council because it contravened the local plan which protects open spaces between Darley Dale and Matlock. District council leader Lewis Rose said: "We are being asked to pay a higher price and to take too many risks. We are being asked to approve houses that might last forever for a school which may not last long." March 2004: a scaled-down version of the plan which would have a smaller impact was announced. April 2004: 48,000 was raised by St Elphin's recovery fund – but the sum fell far short of the 3 million needed. April 18 2004: the scaled-down planning application was turned down by Derbyshire Dales District Council by a vote of 13-4 against. St Elphin's was put up for sale. Martin Hughes, spokesman for the school administration, said: "The school has been in Darley Dale for 100 years and never once has it knocked on the council's door for help and the one time it does that the door is shut in its face." June 24 2004: the school was bought for 2.4 million by a company described as 'a group of local businessmen who wanted to remain anonymous'. It was announced that new funds would be used to build up pupil numbers. Principal Dr Deborah Mouat said : "I am very excited about the future for St Elphin's. At long last, I have been given control and my hands are no longer tied and constrained as they have been under administration." September 2004: boys were allowed to enrol at school, overturning 160 years of tradition in a bid to attract more students. December 2004: planning inspector David Smith was called in to adjudicate over an appeal application to build on the school grounds. The landowners argued that housing development was the only realistic way to safeguard the school's future. Cllr John Evans, Mayor of Darley Dale, said: "This is opportunism and they are not the least bit interested in protecting the school." January 2005: the latest appeal was refused. STAFF HAVEN'T BEEN PAID FOR A FORTNIGHT SAY UNION BOSSES UNION bosses are threatening legal action on behalf of St Elphin's staff who were not paid in the final fortnight before the school closed. The GMB Union and UNISON say the school's auxiliary staff, who are supposed to be paid weekly, did not receive their wages on the last two pay days. "We cannot allow this to go unchallenged because staff are not being paid for work they have done," said Jeanette Darby, education steward for UNISON. She added: "We are consulting our solicitors and we will start legal action very shortly. "It's the people who are paid weekly – such as the kitchen staff and clerical admin staff – who are not being paid. "We don't know what's going to happen with the staff who are paid monthly, but they could well follow in the same trend. "It's very sad and worrying for the school children and staff, but this is a good demonstration of the problems that arise when people try to mix profit with the education of children. "There are children there who are due to take exams in a couple of weeks and no provision has been made for them." Mel Beaumont, branch secretary for the GMB, said: "The auxiliary staff have worked for nothing for the last two weeks. "The way my members have been treated is disgraceful." He warned: "Don't write off the possibility of legal proceedings in pursuance of outstanding money." Reprinted by kind permission of Matlock Mercury |
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