Dear Sir,
An issue costing some Aycliffe parents many hundreds of pounds needs an urgent airing. Despite years of bombastic propaganda from our political pundits prattling on about a Shangri-la of 6th form centre provision in Aycliffe, predictably, it never materialised. So now, depending on student choice of college, some parents face forking out two hundred and twenty pounds in bus fares, along with cash for food or packed lunches every term for two years due to an absence of educational provision “in-house” here in Aycliffe.
It seems that students attending the Queen Elizabeth College in Darlington qualify for a bus pass? But the parents of students of Darlington College must pay for their bus fares, and in advance. As a retired teacher I believe that Durham educational Authority should provide that education IN Newton Aycliffe. If not, THEY should pay for access to it in centres that do, without exceptions to venue.
With families hard-pressed for every penny, explanations are due to parents penalised because of a failure to deliver, leaving our children to travel elsewhere to gain necessary qualifications. Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Durham, Framwellgate Moor, anywhere but Aycliffe! Again? With crippling financial penalties imposed as well? So much for the once called “Jewel in the Crown of South Durham”, Aycliffe parents are paying the price, as always, for civic failures.
Don Fraser
Woodham