I am pleased to announce that I have organised a public meeting with Essex education chiefs specifically for Southend parents with children at The Deanes School.

I have called the meeting as I know many parents of the 234 children we have at the Thundersley school are concerned.

I think it’s vitally important that parents and students have the opportunity to meet and question some of the key policy makers from Essex County Council.

This has been a worrying time for parents of students currently at the school – as well as for those who are due to start there this September – and this meeting is an important way to assist parents in gaining first-hand information and in assisting  me to develop our formal response to Essex County Council’s consultation document.

It will be held at Committee Room 1, Civic Centre on 17 July at 7.30pm.