Comment by Nick Stanton on East Dulwich School decision (Southwark Liberal Democrats)

Southwark Liberal Democrats <info@southwark-libdems.org.uk>

Comment by Nick Stanton on East Dulwich School decision

October 18, 2006 12:00 PM

Commenting on the announcement by Schools Minister Lord Adonis that the proposed Harris Boys Academy will not be established in temporary accommodation on the Bredinghurst School site from September 2007, Cllr Nick Stanton, Liberal Democrat Leader of Southwark Council, said:

"We are hugely disappointed by the Government's decision. This will be a kick in the teeth for the many parents who have campaign long and hard for this new school and will be a severe embarrassment for Tony Blair who visited the area and gave his support to parents as recently as last year."

"The Government promised a temporary school from September 2007 until the permanent home is completed for September 2009. As recently as last Wednesday, they were discussing technical questions of our Education Department."

"Southwark Council has done everything asked of it by the Academy Project Board and the Government. We identified a temporary site which they agreed as being suitable and we provided a dedicated planning consultant among other things. The claim by Tessa Jowell that it is the Council's fault is both offensive and untrue."

"The Government is making a number of completely untrue statements about this decision. They claim that the risk assessment shows the plan to be unsafe. We have provided plans to mitigate any risks yet these were not put to the Project Board at their meeting last Friday."

"They claim that pupils would be at risk yet Southwark is a national leader, acknowledged by the Home Office, in safe travel to school schemes. The Borough Commander of the Met has also agreed that there is no risk to pupils that does not exist at other schools across London."

"They claim that the decision was taken by a Project Board meeting last Friday. Yet I was rung by the Minister while the meeting was still going on and told that the decision had been taken."

"Finally, they claim that all stakeholders are in agreement. We are quite clear that we think that it is still possible to put the temporary school on the Bredinghurst site and we are seeking urgent meetings with the Minister to find out why he has pulled the plug."

"The Government made promises to local parents that there would be a school for their pupils by 2007. We already have more than 200 applications for 90 places in the first year. We look forward to them living up to their promise."