Author: Sal
Isle of Wight Councillors Have A Chance To Save Schools Music Service
Wednesday, 25th February, 2009 at 9:35 am, Isle of Wight
Community, Education, Island-wide, Music, Youth
As we reported during live coverage of the Cabinet meeting a couple of weeks ago, a huge chunk of funding is due to be cut from the Island Music Service leaving the normal £105,000 budget at just £13,000 for the year.
The decision to slash the budget is expected to be rubber stamped tonight at the Full Council meeting.
In the County Press this week, former head of the Music Service, Neil Courtney had much to say about the situation.
He ended his wise words for the council with this message …
“History shows that once you lose a high-quality music service, it is extremely hard to build back up again,”
We hope that Isle of Wight Councillors will take note of his cautionary words and appreciate the huge impact that the massive cut in funding to the Island Music Service will have.
Phenomenal Growth in Live Music on the Wight
Helped by the residence of Bestival and IW Festival, the Isle of Wight is fast making a name for itself on the music scene. The explosion of bands and live music over the last ten years has been phenomenal.
The kids learning brass, strings, wind and percussion in schools today could be the musical success stories of tomorrow.
The likes of Capo Regime, The Bees and Jackson Analogue have brought huge attention to the Island and we’re guessing that they might not be where they were if they hadn’t been encouraged and helped at school.
We realise that in times of difficulty cutbacks have to be made, but we’d urge the Isle of Wight Council to think again on this one and avoid being instrumental (no pun intended) in destroying the musical future of the Island.
Read the CP article in full
Image: L.Marie
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Of course the Labour Group is tonight proposing that this cut is reinstated as part of our overall Budget amendment.
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This is true. Music centre, and the lessons given in schools which support it, has a massive impact on the island’s music scene generally.
The Saturday morning music centre at Medina attracts hundreds of young people and the standard they reach in orchestras by the time they leave school is phenomenal, and that talent and interest stays with them for life. But as Neil Courtney points out, the music centre and the individual lessons in school go hand in hand. The same people are involved in both. If lessons become unaffordable, the whole service suffers. I’d hate that to happen.
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I hope the council can see the bigger picture. Of course had they not sold off the rights to the IW Festival, they would have had millions to put towards schemes like this.
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Maybe I’m too naive and not sceptical enough but I do still have some hope that tonight common sense and a sense of benevolence will prevail. To cut the budget will further deprive and alienate even more of the Islands youth. Surely at least one of the Tory Councillors will see and understand this and champion the cause and speak out against this nonsensical proposal.
Thank goodness for Geoff Lumley who does and will at least not allow this to go quietly.
It was good to hear that Neil Courtney spoke out. Well done Neil and Thank You.
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Jackie, I fear that you might be too naive and not sceptical enough.
This is not an administration given to changing its mind.
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My fear is that you are right my hope is that you are wrong. But I have to admit if I was putting money down I’d back you. I can’t give up hope yet though.
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Well I have emailed my (Tory) councillor today and had an immediate reply saying they would ask a question on it. I would urge people to contact their councillors.
Contact details are on the council website:
http://www.iow.gov.uk/councillor/
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That’s good. Mine argued with me and spouted the tory line.
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I’ve emailed mine, too, reminding her of the contrast with the Director of Children’s Services’ salary (£186,000) which he gets for a four-day week!
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I’ve emailed my CC too.
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I haven’t bothered!
Whenever I’ve e-mailed JFB in the past he hasn’t even been courteous enough to reply. I suspect he’s a bit of a ‘party liner’ so is unlikely to rock any boats.
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I have never yet had an answer to any emails I have ever sent my councillar: Charles Chapman
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Ah, no I didn’t write to Basildon either, sent mine to Susan Scoccia.
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Actually I haven’t had a response from my councillor on other issues; but on this I did, so I’m glad I made the effort.
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Mine has said that she will ‘try and raise it’ at the meeting. We shall see…
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I think you might have the same one as me!
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The council voted to allocate £85,000 to Music Services, which is better than the 1st proposal. So we have a reprieve at least for the next year. But don’t get too complacent because they do want to cut it completely. Well done everyone who contacted their councillors. They obviously under estimated the strengh of feeling towards this.
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Thanks for letting us know, Jackie. I’m glad it had an effect.
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“they do want to cut it completely”
If the LA have their way, they won’t even be running the schools next year!
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