No confidence vote ultimatum amid school closure

Herm has a year-round population of about 60

A deputy has warned he will lodge a vote of no confidence in Guernsey’s education committee if it does not reopen Herm School in the “next few days”.

Former environment minister David De Lisle led the successful proposal in the States to direct Education, Sport and Culture (ESC) to reopen the facility.

ESC argued for a year-long trial closure of the facility in Herm.

States of Guernsey members backed the plans to reopen the school on 8 September by 28-9, but the ESC's head said she was hoping to reopen it after the October half-term break.

Herm Primary School was closed in July after a fall in the number of pupils, with students set to travel to Guernsey to be educated in a year-long trial.

It meant children starting from age five would travel daily between Herm and Guernsey by boat to get to school.

The island has a year-round population of about 60.

ESC President Deputy Andrea Dudley-Owen faced a number of questions in the States on Wednesday about what progress had been made in reopening the school.

During the questioning, Mr De Lisle said: “Without the board coming forward in the next couple of days and announcing that has been done, I will be calling for the resignation of the board in its entirety.”

'Opportunity to expedite'

Mrs Dudley-Owen replied: “The children must be kept safe and the children must have high-quality education.

“This committee is bothered about the safety of children, it is bothered about the quality education for our children, and Herm children are no different.

“The timeline for reinstatement of educational provision, has been given to States members.

"If we see any opportunity to expedite those plans, we absolutely will.”

During debate on the reopening of the school earlier this month, Ms Dudley-Owen said the school would most likely be open in the next “four to six weeks”.

Speaking to the BBC after the debate on Wednesday, Mrs Dudley-Owen said she was aiming to reopen the school for after the October half-term break, which finishes on 28 October.

She also said she believed she had the "confidence of the States".