TWO significant things have happened regarding our schools in Knutsford. One half of town got a poor deal overcrowding extension and the other half got £10m.

On February 25, in Crewe, the southern planning committee of Cheshire East Council approved plans for the extra classrooms at Manor Park School.

I attended the meeting and waited four hours to be given three minutes to object to the plans as not being good enough for an extra 105 pupils to be educated at the school.

I wanted a lift in the two-storey extension, extra assembly space and extra outside all-weather playground space plus some serious consideration of how the highways congestion could be dealt with.

Prior to the meeting, only the planning officer had seen the highways report, its recommendation for five extra parking spaces and a revised site plan.

I also wanted consideration of an extension that could accommodate a full two classes per year as the number of pupils in the area would demand this.

CEC numbers at its school planning meeting last June confirmed this.

I also commented that the school was not in their area, so I was surprised to be attending that committee and not the northern committee that would contain our local CEC councillors.

I asked for a deferment so that proper consideration could be made by parties aware of our local schools situation.

Guess what, a cabinet portfolio holder Cllr Janet Clowes stated that Cheshire East Council education department must have been through everything and proposed the plans be approved.

Where were our local councillors and what do parents think?

On Friday, I saw a press release on the Cheshire East Council website: a vision to create a great place to be young, detailing £10m of investment in Knutsford schools to address the primary, secondary school transition and outcomes for all learners.

OMG, the biggest factor is to have adequately resourced primary school environment in the first place!

Voters in Over ward - who has been campaigning for the £10m?

Surely that requires major political support?

As the candidates swarm over Knutsford next month, make sure you tackle them about education.

In May only vote for people who know our local needs and will speak up.

Debbie Jamison Knutsford