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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Council inaction exacerbates primary school place shortage
April 17, 2011 2:02 PM
• [Apr 15]: THE shortage of primary school places in the borough for this September has been exacerbated by the Conservative council's inaction and complacency, according to Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Malcolm Eady.
Cllr Eady said: "This was always going to be a very difficult year because of the exceptionally high birth rate in 2007. Since 2006 the Council has added extra classes every year. This year I estimated, and told the relevant Council committee, we would need at least 12 extra classes compared to September 2006. The Conservatives planned only 9. They have now added two more and soon will probably have to add one or two extra classes. It is not easy to predict which parts of the borough will need the extra classrooms, especially when changes in provision in neighbouring boroughs can significantly alter local demand. What parents will not forgive though is the complacency and lack of action we have seen over the last year.
"The Conservative administration seems to lack any sense of urgency to solve the problem. They have postponed the expansion of Orleans Infants and reduced the number of classrooms planned for the former St John's Hospital site. In the near future we know we will need more new sites. None have been forthcoming. We have reports and press statements, but no positive action. The administration's hope is that "something will turn up". All the new classrooms now being provided were planned under the Liberal Democrat administration. The same is now happening at secondary school level. In four years time we will need about 200 extra Year 7 places. New buildings take three to four years to deliver, so we need action now not in three years time."
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