Michael Gove Accepts Invitation To Open Strood Academy

Mark Reckless MP is delighted that, during education questions yesterday in the House of Commons, Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, accepted his invitation to open Strood Academy when construction is completed in 2012.

Mark, who attended the Turning of the Sod ceremony at Strood Academy on Thursday 17th March alongside fashion designer Zandra Rhodes, asked the Education Secretary:

On Thursday, I saw the beginning of construction for Strood academy in my constituency. Does the Secretary of State appreciate the extent to which confirmation of that investment is appreciated in the local community, and would he visit my constituency to open the academy when construction is completed next year?

To which Michael Gove responded:

My hon. Friend makes a good point, and I should be delighted to accept his generous invitation.

Michael Gove Accepts Invitation To Open Strood Academy

Mark Reckless Calls For Action On Student Loans

Mark Reckless MP has called on the Government to take action over continuing delays in students receiving their funding, following a warning from the National Audit Office that the Student Loans Company scheme was at "substantial" risk of being hit by delays again this year.

In a question to the Secretary of State for Education, Mark Reckless called for action to be taken on behalf of students who have started the new academic year, but are still waiting for their loans to be processed. He called upon the Secretary of State for Education to "take action over the longstanding issue of student loans not being processed in a timely manner."

Commenting on the question, Mark said:

"In recent weeks I have been contacted by many students and parents seeking my assistance in sorting out the mess we have inherited from the last government. As the MP for a constituency which has transformed itself over recent years into a major destination for students from all across the country seeking to further their education at our top-class universities here in Medway, I am dismayed that so many of our young people are still struggling to pay their rent and bills despite repeated assurances from the previous government that this issue was being addressed.

At a time when we are asking students to share a greater burden of the cost in financing their own higher education, I think the least we can do is ensure they receive their money on time."

Mark Reckless Calls For Action On Student Loans

Strood Academy Saved

We have received fantastic news in Medway today from the Coalition Government. All three of our Academies in Medway, including the Strood Academy which has already been up and running for a year albeit in old or temporary buildings on two sites, have got the go ahead to build brand new school buildings.

I am enormously grateful to Michael Gove, whom I am proud to count as a personal friend as well as someone I believe will prove to be an outstanding Secretary of State for Education, for keeping faith with us in Medway over these schools.

In these very tight economic times the Coalition Government has prioritised crucial schools funding for us in Medway and, because of the tough but necessary decisions being taken on the public finances generally, we now have funding which is not just an unfunded aspiration, but is secure and sustainable.

I did not feel able to say too much publicly before we had an official announcement. However, as constituents might imagine, following the initial announcement that funding for our three Academies was "under discussion", all three Medway MPs embarked on intensive lobbying.

I was fortunate to be able to arrange a meeting with Michael the evening after the initial announcement. I followed up with this letter once I had spoken with Les Wicks and met with Rose Collinson to agree a strategy where I focussed my efforts on the Strood Academy in my constituency. This complemented the work of Medway officers and Tracey Crouch and Rehman Chisthi in respect of the two schools in their constituences.

Throughout the process I have believed that we had an outstandingly strong case in respect of the Strood Academy. I am delighted that this has now been formally recognised, but also that the Coalition Government has been able to give the support it has to the Bishop of Rochester and Brompton Academies, which were a year behind us in Strood.

I am really pleased for all the children who will benefit as well as for their parents and teachers. I would also like to say thank you to the council officers who have worked so hard on this. Great news!

Strood Academy Saved