Waltham Forest Council voted unanimously to challenge the government’s cuts to a multi-billion pound school investment programme last night (Thursday 15 July 2010), at a special meeting of Full Council.
The move came after Education Minister, Michael Gove, admitted cuts to the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme would “bite more sharply” in Waltham Forest than elsewhere.
Locally, BSF had paid for Frederick Bremer School to be built and major improvements to Walthamstow School for Girls and Kelmscott. A further 16 schools were set to benefit in the next two years after an additional £275million was offered in April.
Leader of the Council, Cllr Chris Robbins, condemned the move as “short-sighted” and “bewildering,” adding:
“Perhaps one of the biggest immediate losers are the pupils and staff of Leytonstone School,”
explained Cllr Robbins.
“Plans for Leytonstone’s refurbishment were so far in advance these pupils were already packing their belongings and preparing to move to a temporary campus.
“To say the Leytonstone School project, just days from the start of major construction works, should be cancelled is utterly bewildering.”
Other schemes under threat include Willowfield School, which was preparing to move to a brand new campus in 2012.
At the meeting, the Council unanimously agreed to formally challenge the government, as well as to support local head teachers in their demands for further investment.
Cllr Saima Mahmud, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People added:
“The BSF programme was not just about investing in school infrastructure but also in the future of our children and future generations of young people.
“We must ensure our young people are taught the skills necessary to compete in a global job market. To achieve this, we need to provide world-class education facilities.”
