Will the Music Stop for our children?

Grazing the Internet which can be a quite addictive pastime, ending up looking at areas completely different from the original search! I came across the so called Henley review which is a look at funding for music support services to Councils over the country. The reason I found it as there are a number of Boroughs who were looking anxiously at what would be in this report as it was promised before Christmas and delayed now so long that many music services will run out of funds at the end of March. This would include Walsall's most outstanding music service based at Forest Arts achieving such excellent results in areas of serious deprivation such as the ward I represent in Blakenall. This service which consistently receives outstanding marks from their OFSTED reports. Supplying every school in Walsall this is a dreadful kick in the teeth for the dedicated and extraordinary team based at the Forest Arts Centre and to all those young people who have responded to their teaching.

I can hear the alarm bells ringing which is starting to drown the sound of all those pupils from every school in walsall who make music and benefit so much from that experience.
Prepare to mount the biggest and noisiest ever demonstration in protest seen in Walsall if those in the current Tory/ Liberal alliance down in London decide to pull the funding..


published by electronic means by Ian Robertson 87 Belvidere Rd walsall WS1 3au tel 01922 634642.