Angela Smith MP today called for the Police to look into a spate of attacks against PACES in High Green

While visiting PACES in High Green, Angela Smith MP saw at first hand the results of the latest mindless act of vandalism and burglary at the campus, a smashed window, a broken wall, and a missing safe.

She was told this is the 17th such incident this year with thefts and wanton vandalism taking place on a regular basis.

Staffs from the centre have also had to wait for 2 to 3 hours for the Police to attend incidents; this was especially true at night.

She has contacted senior Officers in South Yorkshire Police force, asking for the campus to be given the cover she feels it deserves and whether they can respond to incidents in the area quicker.

Commenting Angela said, “PACES is a community resource which is used by the whole community. It is very worrying that this particular campus [PACES] seems to have been targeted in such a way. Seventeen incidents in such a short space of time is not on. We must find ways of stopping these attacks against this valuable local resource”

“I believe, and I have informed the Police of this that they need to respond to the challenges in this area more quickly and start to find out the culprits causing this mayhem to this valuable local resource.”

Paces High Green School is an independent day special school with charitable status founded in 1997. It is located in a northern suburb of Sheffield. It provides for 22 boys and girls aged from 2 - 18 years with neurological motor disorders, such as cerebral palsy. Most pupils are part-time but seven are full-time. Nineteen pupils have a statement of special educational need (SEN) of which 16 have been placed and funded by Local Education Authorities (LEAs). The school employs five teachers specifically trained in Conductive Education, three have qualified teacher status and two have submitted applications for qualified teacher status.
Most pupils are funded by their referring authority though a minority are funded privately. Pupils come to the school from a wide area of the north of England, some as far as Grimsby and Manchester.
The school is located in a community building managed by the High Green Development Trust management group. It shares these premises with twelve other education and community organisations, most of whom are part of the Paces organisation.
The school aims to provide Conductive Education for pupils with motor disorders, giving them a positive learning environment and the opportunity to achieve. Where possible it incorporates the National Curriculum into the Conductive Education curriculum. In addition to its aims for each pupil the school's philosophy is to support families in bringing their children into independent adulthood as active citizens

Angela Smith MP inspects the demage at PACES

Issued : 26 April 2006

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