30th August 2025
Further controversy surrounds former councillor Mark Weldon after it emerged he announced the opening date for Vale View Primary School to the local press before the council’s Executive had even decided whether the project should proceed.
An email dated 7 March 2008, disclosed under the Freedom of Information Act, records concerns raised at the time. It states:
“That was before Cllr Weldon announced in this week’s Express the actual opening date of the school. That announcement to the press changes everything. How can this development be progressed when no account of further costs have been made public and it hasn’t even gone to the Executive yet for a decision?”
Campaigners argue that this shows the project was being pushed forward in public before democratic scrutiny and financial transparency had taken place.
“This isn’t how decisions should be made,” one resident said. “Announcing opening dates before costs and safety issues are properly discussed is an insult to local families.”
