PARISH councillors have expressed their anger over Padgate High School’s proposed name change to Lysander.

At a meeting last week they vowed to continue fighting the plans and swore that any name change would go no further than the school, following rumours that Padgate Library was also to change its name.

“There is no way there will be a new name at the library. There’s no way they’re changing that – we’re not having Padgate taken away from everything,” said Clr Colin Oliver.

He and borough councillors Scott Wilson and Sharon Wilson had met with Alison Sherman, the head teacher of Padgate, and expressed their disappointment at the lack of community consultation.

“It’s all been done behind people’s backs, the uniform change, the name change,” said Clr Oliver.

“The people who made the decision are the head teacher and the governing body.”

The school wants to change the name to encourage cohesion between the Padgate and Woolston communities that will both be taught there following Warrington Borough Council’s decision to close Woolston High School in 2012.

“Whatever they change, it will always be Padgate to the people that live here,” said Clr Oliver.

Clr Sharon Wilson said that she did not object to the name, but the way in which the change had been brought about, saying it had been ‘poorly handled’.

Parish Clr Douglas Ashbrook, who also met with Mrs Sherman, said that he had asked pupils what they thought and the majority had said they wanted the name Padgate Community High School to remain.

It is understood that the name Lysander Community High School is likely to be the successful one.

A new uniform featuring a grey blazer and optional jumper, a yellow blouse and a grey tie will be introduced.

joanna.lean@guardiangrp.co.uk