As reported in the local papers, we have just received the devastating news that the Government has announced that the proposed new school for Boys will not now be opened for at least another two years.  

The Government had promised local parents a temporary school from September 2007 with a permanent school ready for September 2009.  This was promised not just by the Education Minister but by Tony Blair who came to East Dulwich to launch his academy programme last summer.  So much for high level political support.  The temporary school has  now been abandoned altogether. 

 I reported that this decision was threatened in the summer but staved off after the council leader met with the Schools minister and local MP.   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  to help overcome any difficulties.  It has all come to nothing.  A Government that was serious about progressing this plan would have raised concerns about the identified sites much earlier.  They would have given active consideration to ALL SIX sites that the council identified. They have not done so.  

The Government is making a number of completely untrue statements about this decision. They claim that a ‘risk assessment’ shows the plan to be unsafe.  We have provided plans to mitigate against any risks yet these were not even considered before a decision was made.

They Government is even claiming that the decision was taken by a Project Board meeting last Friday. Yet the Council Leader was  rung by the Minister while the meeting was still going on and told that the decision had been taken!

This is an shabby, insulting treatment. But more importantly it is a disgraceful way of making decisions that have such an effect on local children.

I wonder if any ‘risk assessment’ was made of the impact on local children,on local families and on the local community of not providing the schooling promised? 

Even now,  we are 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 Borough Commander has said he is willing to attend such a meeting. Let Tessa Jowell and the Minister explain their ‘risk assessment’ to him. In the meantime we’ll go on reminding people of just what  weight a promise from Tony Blair and Tessa Jowell carries….