THE fight to save Maltby Academy’s landmark clock tower has been taken to the very top after a petition was delivered to Number 10 Downing Street according to the Rotherham Advertiser, today.
“Plans for an £11m revamp of the school under which the clock tower would be demolished have been approved by Rotherham Council’s planning board.
But an action group set up to save the tower collected 1,266 names on a protest petition, which was delivered to Number 10 by a delegation made up of Maltby Town Council member Joy Bradford, former borough councillor Brian Cutts, ex-NUM official Ted Millward and former Maltby resident Ruth Escreet.”
A delegation of 1 Maltby Town Councillor, 1 ex-NUM official, 1 former RMBC councillor and 1 former resident.
Hmm …
Should we wish them good luck as it seems they are going to need it ?
Or…
is there some hidden agenda that the public is not yet privy to ?
Remember our RMBC Councillor for Maltby and member of Maltby Town Council – Cllr Amy (nee Barron) Rushforth ?
… the Former Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Panel member who has been very quiet about the grooming of children scandal in Rotherham ?
… the councillor who is listed as Miss A Rushforth on Maltby Academy’s board of governor’s and fails to declare an interest in the academy, when it suits her ?
As ever, many questions being asked but not many answers forthcoming.
maltbyblogger welcomes comments on any topic or subject that has an effect on Maltby and it’s people.
maltbyblogger 
The question that comes immediately to mind is what’s in it for Rotherham Council. I did point out some time ago that you had got one of the most imcompetent planning officers dealing with this. Does anybody know if there is some Section 106 Agreement lurking somewhere, organisaed by this mess of a Labour Party that doesn’t like Academies?
Thanks for the comment Chris. I think you’ll find that actually members of the Labour Party in Maltby, are very FOR academies – well for Maltby Academy anyway. The Labour Party is strongly represented on the board of governors (and on Maltby Town Council) It sticks in the gullet somewhat though, when a conflict of interest is not declared at discussions between the two groups.
For those interested:
Maltby Academy Governors
Mrs J. Kenny Chair of Governors
Mr A. Pickles
Vice Chair
Mr M. Beck
Miss S. Clarkson
Mr C.Simmonds
Mr K. Thompson
Miss A. Rushforth (know to MTC and RMBC as Cllr Amy Rushforth)
Mr J. Fletcher
Mr. R. McNabb
Mrs G. Barber
Mrs M. Stanton
Mr. R. Belcher
Mr. D. Sutton
Miss N. Bailey Clerk to the Governing Body
Hi
have you thought of trying to get the building listed then it could not ne legally pulled down.
Dan (a past pupil 1951to 1958)
If there’s a petition, where is it? I’ll sign up!
MGS was a marvellous school which enabled many students in the 1960s/70s to win places at top universities throughout out the UK. What happened? It lost leadership and ambition.
It’s reputation has been demolished; now they want to demolish the building. It’s not the answer. A tragedy.
Hi Professor I have just read your comments on maltbyblogger regarding the old Grammar School. I was there from 1951 to 1958 went on to university and became a chartered civil engineer. Although I no longer live in the Maltby area now living in Leicestershire, I have made enquiries and I understand that the clock tower and the front façade have been retained with the new facilities being built behind them. I also understand that the library has lost one floor, I believe this to be the old hall!! I hope this information is of interest to you.
Dan Jones B.Eng. C.Eng. MICE(Retired
Thanks, Dan. Glad they have saved something. I just hope that the school – by which I really mean the pupils – will soon see the benefits and that their experiences there start to open up the doors to all their aspirations. Just as they did for you and me.
Regards
Paul Jowitt BEng, CEng, FICE
Hi Paul I notice your degree is B Eng. not B Sc., where did you get your degree, mine was at Sheffield, most others give B Sc.
Dan
Dan, I was being overly brief! I should have said BSc(Eng) ! I went to Imperial College (then part of London University) and they hadn’t yet switched to the BEng degree title.
By the way, over the summer Barry Hoggart (my Geology teacher at Maltby) happened to be visiting Edinburgh, so we met up for a coffee and a catch up. He lived in Rossington but was a pupil at Maltby too, probably a year or two below you.
Oh Dear – a typo! It’s ” Its “not ” Tt’s “! I don’t want a smart alec saying I don’t know my grammar!
Thanks Prof for the comments and support.
A lot of water has gone under the bridge over Maltby Dyke, so to speak, since this was posted, almost 3 years ago.
I have to admit that I lost the will to continue the reporting of what’s happening at Maltby Academy (and to some extent Maltby Town Council) anymore.
There is a limit to how many times one can get knocked to the floor before staying down 😉
Appreciate your comments though and glad that you corrected the grammar as I would probably have been the Smart Alec who picked you up on it 🙂
Thanks. I just wish I’d known earlier, I was there in 2010, visiting in my role as President of the Institution of Civil Engineers (2009-10). There was no mention of the demolition. I’d tried to re-visit the school numerous times since 1987 – only to have letters unanswered. I turned up at the door once and was told the School was fine…. In fact, I think it was “on notice”. I just wanted to go back and help in any way I could, The School had done me well and I wanted to give something back. They didn’t want to know. Very sad.
Sad indeed.
However, I think you will find that Maltby Academy (as it now is, incorporating primary schools in the area also) is much improved and an entirely different and better performing place than it was in the times that you mention.
I am sure that if you are ever passing this way in the future that the Academy would be honoured to have a visit from you and would welcome your views and opinions as well as your professional expertise.
You might like to take a look at their website here: http://www.maltbyacademy.com/page/default.asp?title=Home&pid=1
Thanks for this. When I went back in 2010 it did seem as though it was on the way back. And the Academy website – and the School! – looks pretty good. I’m not sure who you are or when you were at Maltby, so it’s a bit weird having a conversation with someone I don’t know! But I welcome the contact! I was there from 1961-1968. A whole bunch of us got to University, Two to Oxford, two to Imperial, one to the Univ of London, several to Birmingham. And from that year there have been at least 2 CBEs and one OBE. And those that chose a different non-Uni career path seemed to do pretty well too. I just hope the opportunities are still there for the kids at Maltby. I must try to get back. I live in Edinburgh so don’t get down that way much. I used to live in Thurcroft. My parents and grandparents are buried at Laughton. And I gather the churchyard has become very overgrown. Another job to be done!
Regards
Paul Jowitt
p.w.jowitt@hw.ac.uk